Discursive Constraints on Pregnant Women's Participation in Sport

I discuss the discursive constraints on the participation in sport of 22 Hamilton women who are pregnant for the first time. Most women tended to withdraw from sport especially as they became more visibly pregnant. Their withdrawal can be partly explained using Julia Kristeva's notion of abjection. Pregnant bodies are often considered to be fragile, fearful and ‘inactive’-they are containers for unborn children and are best confined to places and activities where protection for the unborn child can, supposedly, be maximised.     

Rural Restructuring and the Changing Geography of Competitive Sport

The geography of sport has received relatively little attention from those interested in processes of rural social and economic change. This is despite the important role that sport plays in the structure of rural communities and regions. In addition to the obvious health benefits associated with physical activity, sport contributes to community identity and provides opportunities for social interaction. There is, however, considerable evidence to suggest that processes of restructuring are having direct impacts on sport in rural areas. Drawing on a case study from rural Western Australia, this paper argues that economic adjustment in the farming and business sectors, service withdrawal, and population decline are just some of the changes undermining the viability of sporting clubs in rural areas. We suggest that while sporting clubs have tended to be resilient in the face of restructuring, it is also clear that one of the outcomes is a changing geography of sport in declining rural areas.     

中国女性竞技体育人才的时空分布特征及其形成原因——以历届亚运会女性冠军为例

在收集整理历届亚运会女性冠军数据的基础上,结合相关统计方法总结出中国女性竞技体育人才的时空分布特征,并运用地理学的相关观点解释这种时空分布的原因.结果表明:女性竞技体育人才主要分布在东部沿海各省,西部地区为女性竞技体育人才的缺失区;女性竞技体育人才数量与时间呈正相关关系;不同省份之间女性竞技体育人才内部结构差异显著.形成这种时空分布特征的原因主要包括:1)自然地理环境中地形平坦、气候温和、水文条件好的地区有利于女性运动人才的成长.2)人文地理环境中社会经济因素为女性参与竞技体育运动提供了良好的物质基础;政