Why are some countries more successful at international sporting competition than others?
Why does the United States win more gold medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games compared to Italy?
Which countries have the highest levels of participation in sport?
Why are there higher levels of participation in sport and physical activity in Sweden compared to the United Kingdom?
These questions have one thing in common – they are comparative.
A new book from Dr Mathew Dowling (Anglia Ruskin University) and Spencer Harris (University of Colorado) – out today! – provides a comprehensive overview of the theory and method of how to make inter-country comparisons in sport. In particular, the authors draw upon examples and case-studies from the elite sport policy and management domain to explicate the philosophical, methodological, and practical challenges of comparative analysis in sport.
“An excellent and accessible summary of the methodological issues for researchers working in the field.”
The ultimate intention of ‘Comparing Sporting Nations: Theory and Method’ is to help generate further consideration of, and sensitivity towards, the theory and method of comparative analysis as it applies to the context of sport and help students navigate the challenging and the seemingly impossible task of how to compare the similarities and differences between countries.
The book is essential reading for any advanced undergraduate or postgraduate students studying sports or sport-related degrees and is a useful companion for researchers seeking to make comparisons between sporting nations.
The book is available now as eBook or paperback.
PRAISE FOR COMPARING SPORTING NATIONS
“A thorough and critical introduction to comparative analysis in sport that clearly demonstrates the valuable insights that comparisons can generate. An essential text.”
Barrie Houlihan, Emeritus Professor of Sport Policy, Loughborough University
“The text offers a clearly written, well-structured introduction to comparative analysis for students and scholars of sport. Dowling and Harris have managed to fill the obvious lacuna in sports studies: an exposition of the methodological and practical challenge involved in comparative studies.”
Jonathan Grix, Professor of Sports Policy, Manchester Metropolitan University
“A valued contribution to the methodological literature on comparative sport policy analysis. It is not only highly relevant to the needs of its undergraduate and postgraduate target markets, but it also provides an excellent and accessible summary of the methodological issues for researchers working in the field.”
Ian Henry, Emeritus Professor of Leisure management and Policy, Director for the Centre for Olympic Studies and Research, Loughborough University
“Comparing Sporting Nations is a timely contribution to the important, albeit difficult task of comparing different nations’ sport systems, sport policy, sport participation etc. Dowling and Harris explore and discuss these challenges and limitation, and provide valuable suggestions for strategies to overcome these issues”
Nils Asle Bergsgard, Professor of Sports Sociology, University of South-Eastern Norway
About the authors:
Dr Mathew Dowling is a Senior Lecturer at the Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercises Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University, UK. He completed his PhD at the University of Alberta, Canada and is alma mater of Loughborough University, UK. His current research interests focus on the application of organisations and political theory to understand sport organisations and systems.
Dr Spencer Harris is an Associate Professor of Sport Management at the University of Colorado, US. He has more than 30 years experience within the sport develop industry and has worked for the University of Hertfordshire, Sport England, and Right to Play. He completed his PhD at Loughborough University, UK. His research interests centre on sport governance, and specifically, the sport-politics-power relationship.
Matthew Dowling 
Spencer Harris
