Overview

This book provides a comparative analysis of sport and physical activity policies, processes, and practices across the home nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) of the United Kingdom. Drawing upon in-depth analysis by internationally recognised experts within the sport policy and management field, and applying a novel analytical framework, this book offers the first comprehensive intra-country comparison of the most significant features of the sporting infrastructure across the home nations. With chapters focusing on each of the four nations in detail, followed by a comparative chapter that traces the evolution of sport policy across the UK, the book examines the differences and similarities across elite, community, and school sport policy. It provides important insight into how sport policy interacts with national and devolved political structures and with socio-cultural factors to drive both elite sporting success and community sport development. The book is essential reading for any student, researcher, policy-maker or sport practitioner with an interest in sport policy, sport development, sport management, public policy, or politics.