POWER AT PLAY BY MICHAEL A. MESSNER

Power at Play by Michael A. Messner

Power at Play by Michael A. Messner

Introduction

This provocative study by a sociology professor at the University of Southern California is based on interviews he conducted in the mid-1980s with 30 male former athletes (some of whom disliked being called "former") whose involvement with organized sport occurred in high school, college or professional leagues. Examining "the relationship between the development of masculine identities and the structure of sport as a social institution," Messner observes that the increased participation of women in sports which, he notes, prompted his book--and a growing acceptance of gay athletes pose a powerful challenge to traditional notions of games as macho (and sexist and homophobic) activities. Among other striking observations in this well-documented analysis, Messner suggests that the feminist revolution of the 1960s and '70s may have stimulated a burgeoning interest in pro football, the most violent of major American sports, on the part of "threatened" males. With graceful prose and a broad scope, the book offers a feast of ideas (Messner, 1992)

Discussion

Messner attempts to resolve the role of sports in male society. The author, who has co-edited other volumes on men's studies, examines the effects of athletics on male development from boyhood through midlife. In search of common bonds, he interviews 30 former athletes. By analyzing early experiences, careers, and post-sports lives, Messner identifies how each male athlete's identity was molded and how each used his participation to attain goals. Appendixes offer details of each athlete's careers and backgrounds (racial, social, and economic) and a synopsis of the interview process. This engrossing volume will appeal more to sociologists than sports fans (Messner, 1992).

The author describes that more and more adults participate as employees in games at work and in public and voluntary organisations. ...