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Transitioning sport – Transitioning European societies

The decade of the 2020s has so far witnessed immense changes in the ways we think about the world, our place in it, and also in how we go about our everyday activities. The Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the various physical and economic restrictions we had to live with have connected us with technology more than ever, and have put our mental health to stress that had been unprecedented in the life of most generations living on the planet. Many re-evaluate their life situations, relationships and the things they find important in life. These times have shown both the unimportance of sport (when focus turns to basic survival skills), and the importance of it (how much we need a good run, a fun game, or to be entertained and distracted from the problems around us).

European societies, organizations and individuals have responded to the crisis in different ways, and there are contrasting ideas of how to move forward from here. This is true for sport and its social functions as well – concerns of sustainability, social justice, equity and exploitation keep asking questions about how the different areas of sport should develop in the future and about how sport can maintain its structures, functions and spaces; how sport can actually contribute to the well-being of people in transitioning societies in the face of globalization and crisis.

This conference will provide a forum for scholars to discuss and debate these important issues. Beyond the main theme, the congress will also feature a diverse range of sessions to enable scholars, including postgraduate students, the opportunity to share their latest research.

Key Dates

• Abstract submission: closed
• Abstract results notification by: 28 February 2023
• Deadline for Young Researcher Award submissions: 31 January 2023
• Registration fee payment deadline for presenting author: 18 March 2023 (23:59 CET)
• Early bird registration fees (in EUR) before 31 March 2023
• Late registration fees (in EUR) after 1 April 2023 but before 23 May

General Information

• Organiser: Hungarian University of Sports Science (HUSS), Budapest, Hungary
• Conference venue: Hungarian University of Sports Science (HUSS), Alkotás u. 42-48., 1123 Budapest, Hungary
• Patron of the conference: Tamás Sterbenz, rector (Hungarian University of Sports Science); Gábor Géczi, head of institute (Hungarian University of Sports Science)
• Chairs of the conference: Szilvia Perényi, associate professor (Hungarian University of Sports Science); Tamás Dóczi, associate professor (Hungarian University of Sports Science)
• Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Session Topics

• Sport and social theory
• Sport and ethics
• Sport and social change
• Sport, policy and governance
• Sport and crisis
• Sport business and management
• Elite and mass sport events
• Sport for development and peace
• Sport and sustainability/environment
• Sport and physical environment
• Sport and media
• Sports spectatorship and fandom
• Sport and Volunteering
• Sport and health and well-being
• Sport, physical activity and social groups
• Sport and ageing
• Sport and gender
• Youth sport
• Olympic, Paralympic and Special Olympic Sports
• Physical education
• Sports coaching
• Sport and power relations, conflict, resilience
• Social justice in sport and physical activity
• Social inclusion in and through sport
• Sport, racism and discrimination
• Child protection and safeguarding in sport
• Sexual abuse and violence in sport
• Sport and identities
• Sport and sexuality
• Sport and the body
• Sport and disability
• Sport and doping
• Sport and new technologies
• E-Sports
• Methodology in sports sociology
• Other issues related to the sociology of sport

Submission guidelines

• Authors are required to submit their abstract online.
• Howevert, submission for Small Panel and Roundtable Sessions should be submitted via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• According to eass policy the number of papers that an individual author can present is limited. Each participant can present one paper as the lead author, and his or her name can appear on up to two additional papers as second or additional author, but not as the presenter. We encourage early career researchers to submit their own papers.
• Authors should submit their abstracts in English. Please note that no translation services can be offered during the conference. Abstracts should not exceed the respective word count (250 words, see more information on word count limits for different session formats).
• Abstracts will be reviewed by the members of the Congress Scientific Committee.
• Presenters are encouraged to prepare a Power Point presentation in English in order to present their research content, which also serves a better understanding and facilitates discussion.
• Abstract submission is free of charge. Presenting authors need to register for and should make themselves available for the duration of the conference.
• Registration fees must be paid by 31 March, 2023 at the latest for an author to present at the eass2023 Budapest conference and to ensure the publication of their name and abstract in the Book of Abstracts. All authors agree that their abstracts will be published in the Book of Abstracts and on the website of the conference.

All fees can be paid by bank transfer, proforma invoices will be sent by email within two (2) working days following the registration, and be paid in due time according to the status of (member/non-member/student/accompanying person) and the time of payment (early/later registration). If early bird payment would be not paid in due time by March 31, 2023, the difference of the fee will be invoiced to the participant.

Session and presentation formats

Session formats include traditional oral presentations, small panel sessions, roundtable sessions, and poster sessions. For each format, please see specifications below.

Apart from empirical oriented presentations, we encourage the submission of conceptual and theoretical work. We also welcome proposals for thematic panel/roundtable sessions that may include a diverse group of speakers (e.g., career stage, gender, academic/non-academic, geographical spread) focusing on a topic from different perspectives. Potential convenors may wish to circulate calls for interest around their chosen topic via eass networks such as MEASURE, SORN, POLIS or special interest groups etc. to aid in this process.

Traditional Oral Presentations

Depending on the number of presenters, we aim to operate on a 20/10 schedule (20 min presentation, 10 min discussion) to stimulate a meaningful discussion of papers. If there are too many abstract submissions, we will operate on a 15/5 schedule. The final format will be communicated by 15 March, 2023. Authors are asked to indicate the focus of their submitted paper during the abstract submission process (beside the thematic session that fits to their research). The requirements for the respective abstracts are as follows:

• Empirical papers: Objectives, Methods, Findings, Discussion, Conclusion
• Conceptual papers: Description of the phenomenon to be studied, Aims/Objectives, Justifications, Implications
• Theoretical papers: Description of phenomenon, Aims/Objectives, Justifications, Implications
• The word count for abstracts is 250 words (cca. 1750 characters)
• Submission via provided link on the homepage

Poster 2.0

Authors willing to present more briefly (10/5min), can submit their abstract for the Poster Session. Poster abstracts (max. 250 words) should address the following points: Objectives, Methods, Findings, Discussion, Conclusion.

For the poster presentation, please use portrait style (A0 size).

• Submission via submission portal on the homepage

Note: We will be awarding a prize for the best poster. Please, indicate on the abstract submission form whether you would like your poster to be entered into this competition.

Small Panel Session

These sessions focus on a specific theme to be addressed by a panel of participants. Submitting authors should introduce the session theme; explaining what it is, why it’s important and what will be gained from the panel discussion. Further questions to be addressed include: What key themes will be addressed? Who are the other panel members and what do they bring to the discussion? Please note that, session topics listed above could also became Small Panel Session topics.

• Abstracts (max. 750 words) are to be submitted by one corresponding author via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Roundtable Session

These sessions can include less developed, preliminary or exploratory research. The sessions can include 4-5 presenters for 5 minutes introductions of research, followed by discussion among those presenting and conference attendees who join the roundtable. Submitting authors should introduce the topic for the roundtable session and also address the questions why this research is important and timely? Please note that, session topics listed above could also became Roundtable Session topics.

• Abstracts (max. 750 words) are to be submitted by one corresponding author via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Abstracts should include information on all presenters and their respective research plans (that are presented within the session).
• The roundtable session format should also be used by eass-related networks such as MEASURE, POLIS and SORN; also, other national research projects.

The Hungarian University of Sports Science cordially invites the European and global social science community to eass2023 Budapest, the European Conference for the Sociology of Sport, to be organised between May 30 and June 2, 2023 in Budapset with the theme of Transitioning sport – Transitioning European societies.

Read more about the conference, prepare your scientific results and share it with us. Registration to begin soon. 

Call for Abstracts available, click on the menu or download from here.

Sincerely yours:

• Patrons of the conference: Tamás Sterbenz, Rector and Gábor Géczi, Head of the Institute
• Chairs of the conference: Szilvia Perényi & Tamás Dóczi, associate professors

Transitioning sport – Transitioning European societies

The decade of the 2020s has so far witnessed immense changes in the ways we think about the world, our place in it, and also in how we go about our everyday activities. The Coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the various physical and economic restrictions we had to live with have connected us with technology more than ever, and have put our mental health to stress that had been unprecedented in the life of most generations living on the planet. Many re-evaluate their life situations, relationships and the things they find important in life. These times have shown both the unimportance of sport (when focus turns to basic survival skills), and the importance of it (how much we need a good run, a fun game, or to be entertained and distracted from the problems around us).

European societies, organizations and individuals have responded to the crisis in different ways, and there are contrasting ideas of how to move forward from here. This is true for sport and its social functions as well – concerns of sustainability, social justice, equity and exploitation keep asking questions about how the different areas of sport should develop in the future and about how sport can maintain its structures, functions and spaces; how sport can actually contribute to the well-being of people in transitioning societies in the face of globalization and crisis.

This conference will provide a forum for scholars to discuss and debate these important issues. Beyond the main theme, the congress will also feature a diverse range of sessions to enable scholars, including postgraduate students, the opportunity to share their latest research.