Peace and reconciliation - Critical reflections across theory and practice

This chapter is written from the distinct perspective of father and son who have worked in and around the world of sport for peace and reconciliation for 30 and 13 years respectively, both on the ground and at study. In this contribution, we consider the real and potential capacity of sport as a vehicle for building and sustaining peace in the context of societies that are deeply fractured and which, resulting from these fissures, have experienced and/or continue to experience a range of socio-political trauma and conflict across multiple levels. This narrative is constructed around critical reflections of the field and draws sporadically from three case studies in regions of which we both have overlapping experience: Northern Ireland, Israel/Palestine and South Africa. Across these contexts, with varying degrees of success, sport has played a more or less significant role within the prolonged peace processes. We reflect on the successes and failures - and the role of critical sociology across these contexts - concluding with some key lessons and potential ways forward.