From academic silos to interdisciplinary engagement: Understanding and advancing research and evaluation in Sport for Development
Study Overview
In a recently published article in the Journal of Sport for Development, Professor Nico Schulenkorf collaborated with two sport-for-development (SFD) scholars from Germany to explore and advance research and evaluation in the SFD field. Specifically, their study addressed a number of critical challenges in SFD research – which remains largely fragmented across disciplines and lacks a unified approach – by promoting interdisciplinary engagement. The authors conducted a scoping review to analyse research methodologies, terms, and frameworks used in SFD and introduced the Evaluation Research Framework (ERF) to systematise and enhance research efforts. Ultimately, the study advocates for a clearer, interdisciplinary approach to foster theoretical progress and practical impact in SFD.
Key lessons learnt
The three key takeaways from Bauer et al.'s (2024) study are:
- Need for a Shared Language and Clear Terminology: The study found that inconsistent and imprecise terminology in SFD research leads to misunderstandings and fragmented discourse. To address this, the authors recommend establishing a shared vocabulary that differentiates between terms like "research," "evaluation," and "monitoring," which is essential for clearer communication and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Limited Interdisciplinary Engagement and Theoretical Progression: Despite contributions from various fields, SFD research often remains siloed, with scholars primarily using familiar, discipline-specific approaches. This limits theoretical advancement and innovation. The study suggests that purposeful interdisciplinary engagement, particularly through frameworks like the Evaluation Research Framework (ERF), could foster richer, more integrated SFD theories and concepts.
- Opportunities for Collaboration on Common Development Goals: The authors highlight critical areas such as social inequality, youth development, and sustainability as shared issues that could unite SFD researchers across disciplines. Building collaborative efforts around these topics, supported by clear communication and mutual interests, could help advance SFD’s role in achieving broader development goals and improve both theoretical and practical outcomes.
You can read the full article in the Journal of Sport for Development: From academic silos to interdisciplinary engagement: Understanding and advancing research and evaluation in Sport for Development
Sport-for-Development at UTS
Sport-for-Development is a core research and teaching focus at the UTS Business School and the Centre for Sport, Business and Society. As leading global scholars in SFD, we aim to advance practical and theoretical knowledge across research, teaching and policymaking.
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