Book Review: “Sociocultural Foundations of Physical Education and Sport”

Abstract

This review presents the book “Fundamentos Socioculturais da Educação Física e do Esporte” (Sociocultural Foundations of Physical Education and Sport), written by Professor Marco Bettine. The work explores the intersections among Sociology, Anthropology, Philosophy, History, and Physical Education (PE), addressing the body within its sociocultural dimension. It is organized into six chapters that discuss forty-six topics related to the sociocultural field, closely connected to Physical Education, sport, the body, and health. Each chapter is self-contained and does not require sequential reading, allowing readers to approach them independently. To facilitate the proposed reflective analysis, the author draws upon classic figures from the Humanities, such as Pierre Bourdieu, Joffre Dumazedier, Norbert Elias, Eric Dunning, David Le Breton, Marcel Mauss, Jürgen Habermas, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, among others. Aiming to support the critical reader, the book offers suggestions for supplementary material – including films, articles, books, podcasts, and video lectures – thus fostering deeper discussion and expanding the scope of analysis. This book is, therefore, an essential reference for Brazilian Physical Education professionals dedicated to the pedagogical and sociocultural domains.