Female Olympians

This book examines women's participation in the Olympic Games since they were allowed to be included in that global arena. Using a holistic, social scientific approach, and emphasizing the rhetoric of sport mediatization, Female Olympians reviews the literature relative to sexism, racism, and ageism before providing historical, political, economic, and socio-cultural perspectives such as the gendered language of Olympic reportage, religious considerations, women's bodies relative to their training for the Games, drugs and doping, and female Paralympians. With numerous critical case studies, never-before assembled data, and personal interviews with athletes, this volume offers insights that both investigate and celebrate female Olympians' successes.

Highlights the progress made by female athletes throughout the history of the Olympics Analyzes a variety of historical, political, economic, and socio-cultural issues that women in the Olympic games have faced Includes data that has never been assembled within the study of the Olympic games

Autorentext

Linda K. Fuller is Professor of Communications at Worcester State University, USA. She is the author, editor, or coeditor of more than 20 books and 250 professional publications and conference reports. Her books include Sport, Rhetoric, and Gender: Historical Perspectives and Media Representations (Palgrave, 2006), African Women's Unique Vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS: Communication Perspectives and Promises (Palgrave, 2008), Women, War, and Violence: Personal Perspectives and Global Activism (Palgrave, 2010), and The Power of Global Community Media (Palgrave, 2012).

Inhalt

Preface.- List of Tables.- Chapter 1. An Introduction to Female Olympians.- Chapter 2. A Brief History of Women and the Olympic Games.- Chapter 3. Political/Nationalistic Concerns Relative to Female Olympians.- Chapter 4. The Gendered Economics of the Olympic Games.- Chapter 5. Socio-Cultural Considerations Relative to Female Olympians.- Chapter 6. Concluding Thoughts on Female Olympians.- Appendix 1 Acronyms.- Appendix 2 Olympic Games Participating Countries.- Appendix 3 Notable Female Olympians.- Appendix 4 Timelines for Female Olympians.- Appendix 5 Olympic Studies Centers.- References.