Postgraduate Course: Sport, Society and International Development (EDUA11299)
Course Outline
| School | Moray House School of Education and Sport |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Sport currently has a world mandate from the United Nations to advance development. The course critically evidences and assesses sport as tool that is used in the world today to produce international development within a context of fluid local and international relations. The course focuses upon agreed world problems and considers the role of sport in helping to address them. World problems are commonly expressed as the sustainable development goals but in reality the world of sport as it today has real scale and international reach that make it a potential tool for helping with poverty, climate change, reducing rates of violence, the peace process, the wellbeing economy, diplomacy and international relations and much more. The course provides access to case studies and takes you on a critical journey of discovery by looking at how sport is and can be used to help with change in different parts of the world. You will learn how to make the case for sport to different governments, organizations and non-governmental organizations while maintain and developing further a critical lens. You will be introduced to organizations such as the Homeless World Cup, Fight for Peace, and Girls United as well as private sector orgainizations such as the Laureus Foundation who fund sport for good. |
| Course description |
Sport, Society and International Development
Sport for Change (social, economic, cultural, political)
Sport, International Contexts and the Sustainable Development Goals
Sport and the Peace Process
Sport as Humanitarian Aid
Sport, Poverty and Homelessness
Sport, Diplomacy and Cultural Relations
Sport, Crime Reduction and Social Cohesion
Sport, the Environment and Planetary Health
Sport as protest and advocacy
Theoretical frameworks for understanding sport and international development
Practical case studies
Building strategy, policy, and programmes for change
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: 90 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
| Course Start Date |
12/01/2026 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
1500 word individual essay (worth 40%) Task 2
2500 word policy brief (worth 60%) Task 1
|
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the key factors shaping the evolution of the sport and international development movement
- Critically assess the role of sport in: building social capital and leadership; aiding empowerment; stimulating HIV/Aids awareness and prevention; promoting conflict resolution in divided societies; and reducing poverty in parts of the world.
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of how competing theoretical frameworks explain the realities of sport and international development.
- Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the role of sport in society.
- Critically discuss the methodological challenges facing those charged with evaluating sport and international development projects.
Critically analyse the importance of leadership and bottom-up approaches in sport for international development initiatives.
Demonstrate a broad appreciation of the role of sport in building social and economic capabilities.
|
Reading List
Key texts:
Jarvie, G, Widdop, P and Walker, R (2026) Sport, Culture and Society. London: Routledge.
Orr, M. (2025). Motives and barriers to climate activism by elite and professional
athletes. European Sport Management Quarterly. 11 March 1-22.
Reid C, Grant L, Jarvie G, Kerr G, Brockett C, Morris J, Banda D, Murray A, Almuhannadi M, Tamminen
K, Reardon C, Simpson K. (2022) Sport for mental health: A global strengths-based change system.
Doha, Qatar: World Innovation Summit for Health, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-913991-28
Rookwood, J (2025). Sport for Development and Peace: Critical Global Challenges . Cham: Palgrave
Macmillan Imprint.
UNESCO (2024). The Social Impact of Sport: Unlocking the Potential of Sport to Drive Social
Transformation- https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000390603
United Nations (2024) United by our Common Goals: Ensuring the Impact of Sport on Sustainable
Development and Peace 5 August 2024 https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/232/53/pdf/n2423253.pdf
Ernst and Young (2021). The Impact of Major Sporting Events: Study of soft power, trade and
investment impacts. London: Ernst and Young. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Special Arrangements |
None |
| Keywords | Sport,development,politics,power,culture |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Grant Jarvie
Tel: (0131 6)51 6546
Email: Grant.Jarvie@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr George Adams
Tel:
Email: George.Adams@ed.ac.uk |
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