Why Sports Morally Matter

When we accept that advertisers and sponsors dictate athletic schedules, that success in sport is measured by revenue, that athletes' loyalty lies with their commercial agents instead of their teams and that game rules exist to be tested and broken in the pursuit of a win, what does our regard for sport say about the moral and political well-being of our society? Why Sports Morally Matter is a deeply critical examination of pressing ethical issues in sports - and in society as a whole. Exploring the broad historical context of modern ethical America, William J. Morgan argues that the current state of sports is a powerful indictment of our wealth-riven society and hyper-individualistic way of life. Taking on critics from all sides of the political debate, Morgan makes the case that, despite the negating effect of free market values, sports still possess important features that encourage social, moral and political values crucial to the flourishing of a democratic polity. It is this potential to transform society and the individual that makes sports a key battleground in the struggle for the moral soul of contemporary America. Why Sports Morally Matter represents an important contribution to the ongoing debate about the role of sports in society. For students and researchers working in sport studies, philosophy and cultural studies, and for anyone who cares seriously about sports, this is an essential text. William J. Morgan is Professor in Sport and Exercise Humanities and Cultural Studies at the Ohio State University, Columbus. He has written widely on the ethics and philosophy of sport, on social and political philosophy and on critical social theory. He is the author of Leftist Theories of Sport and former editor of the Journal of the Philosophy of Sport . SPORTS / CULTURAL STUDIES / ETHICSMorgan, William John is the author of 'Why Sports Morally Matter', published 2006 under ISBN 9780415357739 and ISBN 041535773X.