Tensions and opportunities in researching social change in sport management

Within sport management scholarship, discussions of social change are becoming increasingly prevalent yet the underlying theoretical presumptions about social change are poorly (if at all) articulated. In this paper, we examine this shortcoming and challenge scholars to critically consider their social change agenda. We draw from established theories of social change to articulate how the term has been discussed more broadly in academic literature. In particular, we distinguish between individual, organizational, and community or social level changes as well as the nature of the change in question. Second, we employed a critical interpretive synthesis to consider how social change has been addressed within sport management scholarship. In doing so, we identify both where sport management literature has aligned with the broader social change literature as well as where it has not. Finally, we offer future considerations for sport management scholars interrogating social change, that involves a critical consideration of both level and nature of change. Social change is being readily used by sport management scholars.Theories of social change are often missing from published research.Sport for social change can be practical and impactful if linked clearly to theoretical insights.Distinguishing between individual, organizational, and community or social level changes would increase the impact of sport and social change research.