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Fitness philanthropy: exploring a movement at the nexus of leisure, charity and events

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-21, 00:57 authored by Palmer, C, Filo, K, Nicholas HookwayNicholas Hookway
Sport is increasingly being used by individuals, charities, and corporate sponsors as a means of acquiring donors and fundraisers to support a variety of social and health causes. This paper examines five key features of fitness philanthropy that when considered together provide new sociological insight into a unique social phenomenon. These are: (a) peer-to-peer giving, (b) social media accounts of embodied philanthropy, (c) community connection and making a difference, (d) fitness philanthropy as social capital, and (e) charity and corporate giving. The significance of the paper is threefold. First, it highlights the ways in which fitness philanthropy points to the changing nature of sport, leisure, and physical activity, whereby fundraising is a key motivation for participation. Second, it examines the types of "empathy paths" created by fitness philanthropy with its emphasis on the body, social media, and peer-to-peer forms of organizational giving. Third, the paper seeks to answer critical questions about fitness philanthropy in the context of neoliberalism and "caring capitalism." Bringing these themes into dialogue with broader research on the intersections between sport and charity adds to the body of sociological research on sport, philanthropy, well-being, and civic engagement by addressing novel conceptual frameworks for the embodied expression of these concerns.

History

Publication title

Sociology of Sport Journal

Volume

39

Pagination

70-77

ISSN

0741-1235

Department/School

School of Social Sciences

Publisher

Human Kinetics Publ Inc

Place of publication

1607 N Market St, Champaign, USA, Il, 61820-2200

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Organised sports; Expanding knowledge in human society

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