Telemark Skiing: The ultimate Norwegian sport and a class phenomenon
Journal article, Peer reviewed
View/ Open
Date
2012Metadata
Show full item recordCollections
- Artikler / Articles [2096]
Original version
European Journal for Sport and Society. 2012, 9, 269-286Abstract
In this paper, we scrutinise telemark skiing with regard to gender, social class and other sociological variables. In so doing, our methodological approach involves applying Bourdieu’s framework to analyse the surveys – one representative nationwide and one from a specific telemark race. National statistics are utilised as an additional source. The main findings are that telemark skiing is dominated by boys, and, moreso than other skiing disciplines and other sports, has a distinct class profile, especially relating to higher education. Telemark skiing can be seen as both a class distinction and a sign of individu-alisation, as it is a rather “new” sport. Analytically, it is suggested that the theses of individualisation and of social inequality are interrelated; it is more likely to be individualised if you belong to a higher social class, because the economic and cultural capital needed to make choices are concentrated in that specific area of social space.