Sport, leisure, and social justice at the neoliberal moment: challenges for integrity and activist scholarship

The introductory chapter of this handbook serves as a contextual framework for the subsequent sections, highlighting notable recent events that demonstrate the growing influence of sport and leisure in advancing social justice causes. The chapter aims to situate social justice as a political concept typically associated with state intervention in promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. It documents the dominant leftist perspective that has shaped conventional discourses on social justice, which in turn has strongly influenced political debates within the field of sport and leisure studies. However, the chapter also acknowledges the appropriation of social justice by groups and organisations on the political right, particularly neoliberals, suggesting the need for alternative approaches and a comprehensive understanding of social justice in the specific contexts of sport and leisure studies. It argues for the development and refinement of a more nuanced definition of social justice within these fields as well as developing methodologies that contribute to greater human emancipation.