With God on their Side - Paperback / softback

Sport' and 'religion' are cultural institutions with a global reach. Each is characterised by ritualised performance and by the ecstatic devotion of its followers, whether in the sports arena or the cathedral of worship. This fascinating collection is the first to examine, in detail, the relationship between these two cultural institutions from an international, religiously pluralistic perspective. It illuminates the role of sport and religion in the social formation of collective groups, and explores how sport might operate in the service of a religious communityThe book offers a series of cutting-edge contemporary historical case-studies, wide-ranging in their social and religious contexts. It presents important new work on the following fascinating topics* sport and Catholicism in Northern Irelan* Shinto and sumo in Japa* women, sport and the American Jewish identit* religion, race and rugby in South Afric* sport and Islam in France and North Afric* sport and Christian fundamentalism in the U* Muhammad Ali and the Nation of IslamWith God on their Sideis vital reading for all students of the history, sociology and culture of sport. It also presents important new research material that will be of interest to religious studies students, historians and anthropologists.