Description
Outdoor recreation and sports organizations have, throughout history, just like all other organizations, continuously taken part in various types of knowledge acquisition and made decisions that have subsequently impacted how they work. However, to understand how these organizations can move forward, it is important to understand how they have worked with knowledge acquisition in the past – and how this acquisition has actually influenced the decisions that have been made.
This could involve knowledge concerning environmental issues, but it can also involve other types of knowledge, such as how scientific research has impacted training programs for a specific sport or the design of a particular hiking trail. There is reason to believe that some types of knowledge are easier to absorb than others – for example, knowledge that leads to athletes becoming faster, jumping higher, etc. – while knowledge that requires more complex actions is harder to adopt. For instance, it has proven difficult to change travel patterns in elite sports, despite a solid knowledge base about the environmental impact of travel.
At the same time, there are organizations that have made decisions that are not necessarily based on knowledge, but on doing things the way they have always been done. Or decisions may be made because the organization has previously steered operations in a certain direction.
In order to be able to change future decision-making processes related to the environment, we need to understand how these processes have looked in the past. It may be that organizations need to seek out specific types of knowledge about how their activities impact the environment before decisions are made. An example of this would be decisions about where major championships should be held and how they would impact the environment. We simply want to carry out impact analyses of certain decisions.
We also want to collaborate with schools and universities in the field of sports and health to find out how they use knowledge and research in their education programs and how they embrace environmental issues.
Knowledge and motivation are key factors in creating increased sustainability. How can we, together, develop a culture where knowledge of sustainability is a natural part of the goals of sports and outdoor recreation, and in the practical work? We look forward to collaborating with stakeholders in the sports and outdoor recreation movements on these issues.
Financiers
Selected publications
- Backman, E., Larneby, M., & Rudelius, R. (2024). (How) should environmental sustainability be a part of physical education? Analysing Swedish teachers’ voices through a Bernsteinian perspective. Sport, Education and Society, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2024.2378120
- Quennerstedt, M., Backman, E., & Mikaels, J. (2024). Returning to the river: the salutogenic model as a theory to explore the relation between outdoor activities and health. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 25(1), 245–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2024.2342305
- Backman, E., & Svensson, D. (2022). Where does environmental sustainability fit in the changing landscapes of outdoor sports? An analysis of logics of practice in artificial sport landscapes. Sport, Education and Society, 28(6), 727–740. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2022.2073586
- Isgren Karlsson, A., Alatalo, T., Nyberg, G., & Backman, E. (2022). Exploring physical education teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards digital technology in outdoor education. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 23(4), 510–524. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2022.2054835
- Backman, E., Svensson, D., & Wall-Reinius, S. (2024). Mellan naturlighet och konstgjordhet: Förändrade arenor för idrott och fritid. PLAN, nr. 3-4: 56-61.
- Svensson D, Backman E, Hedenborg S & Sörlin S (Eds, 2023). Sport, Performance and Sustainability. Routledge Research in Sport, Culture and Society. Routledge Publications. Sport, Performance and Sustainability | Daniel Svensson, Erik Backman,
- Svensson D, Backman E, Hedenborg S & Sörlin S (2023) Introduction: Balancing Performance and Environmental Sustainability, In: Svensson, Daniel, Backman, Erik, Hedenborg, Susanna & Sörlin, Sverker (Eds). Sport, Performance and Sustainability. Routledge Research in Sport, Culture and Society. Routledge Publications. Introduction | 2 | Balancing Performance and Environmental Sustainabil
- Backman E, Svensson D and Danielski I (2023) The Changing Landscape of Sport Facilities: Consequences for Practitioners and the Environment, In: Svensson, Daniel, Backman, Erik, Hedenborg, Susanna & Sörlin, Sverker (Eds). Sport, Performance and Sustainability. Routledge Research in Sport, Culture and Society. Routledge Publications. The Changing Landscape of Sport Facilities | 6 | Consequences for Prac
- Isgren Karlsson A & Backman E (2023) Environmental Sustainability in Physical Education: A Study of Physical Education Teachers’ Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Environmental Sustainability in Physical Education, In: Svensson, Daniel, Backman, Erik, Hedenborg, Susanna & Sörlin, Sverker (Eds). Sport, Performance and Sustainability. Routledge Research in Sport, Culture and Society. Routledge Publications. Environmental Sustainability in Physical Education | 10 | A Study of P
- Backman, E (2022) Konstgjorda idrottsanläggningar. I: Norberg, Johan R, Dartsch Nilsson, Christine & Philblad, Johan (red) Idrottsanläggningar - idag och imorgon. Om behov, tillgänglighet och konkurrerande intressen. Centrum för idrottsforskning 2022:2: Stockholm. https://centrumforidrottsforskning.se/sites/default/files/2022-04/Konstgjorda-idrottsanlaggningar.pdf
- Svensson D, Backman E, Hedenborg S & Sörlin S (2020) Idrottens växande ekologiska fotavtryck: sportifiering, inomhustrend och miljöpåverkan, In: Bäckström, Å; Book, K. Carlsson, B; Fahlström, P-G (Eds) Sport Management, del 3: Idrottens marknader och konsumtionskultur, Stockholm: SISU Idrottsböcker. Idrottens växande ekologiska fotavtryck : sportifiering, inomhustrend och miljöpåverkan