Sport, politics and the public intellectual

This chapter examines the role of the public intellectual, specifically in the context of the well established relationship between sport and politics. It captures the dominant research themes of this field by examining the contested interplay of sport and ethnic identity, principally in a post- Good Friday Agreement Northern Ireland, and, on a macro level, the politics of sport governance. The author reflects on his own experiences in both realms, both as an active participant and, later, as an academic researcher. It also challenges the reader to consider the ultimate impact of their work, both methodologically and in applied, policy terms, arguing that this is an increasing responsibility of contemporary research in this field.