The recently published book titled “Special Olympics Inclusion Debates and Equity in Sport” is a comprehensive compilation of academic work centered around the Special Olympics and its impact on the social inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities. The collection features a blend of empirical research and theoretically informed papers, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the subject.

This book delves into the specific nuances of social inclusion in various sport contexts and other areas of life. The authors go beyond normative discussions, aiming to contribute significantly to the ongoing global dialogue on inclusion and sports. With a global perspective, the book seeks to contribute to an interdisciplinary understanding of the Special Olympics within the broader context of inclusion debates. The campaign “The Revolution is Inclusion” by Special Olympics serves as a backdrop, emphasizing an all-encompassing effort to eliminate discrimination against individuals with intellectual disabilities. By bringing together diverse academic perspectives, the collection establishes a foundation for future scholarship on this crucial subject.

Table of Contents:

Introduction: Special Olympics in Context of Inclusion Debates

Florian Kiuppis and Daniela Schwarz

  1. The community inclusion of athletes with intellectual disability: a transnational study of the impact of participating in Special Olympics

Roy McConkey and Sabine Menke

  1. Engagement with Special Olympics by the general public in 17 countries world-wide

Roy McConkey, Paul Slater, Lindsay Dubois, Amy Shellard and Ashlyn Smith

  1. Parenting Special Olympians: an agenda for ethnographic engagement

P. David Howe and Carla Filomena Silva

  1. Assessing changes in the self-reported community inclusion of persons with intellectual disability: contrasts between participants in Special Olympics and non-participants

Florian Pochstein and Roy McConkey

  1. ‘Life is team play’: social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the context of Special Olympics

Piritta Asunta, Elina Hasanen, Florian Kiuppis, Pauli Rintala and Roy McConkey

  1. Dream team: team sports in a community of adults with intellectual disability

How can participation in team sports develop the social competencies of people with intellectual disability?

Rosita Olvhøj, Tobias Knudgaard Jensen, Jacob Wienecke and Helle Winther

  1. The subject of Special Olympics: interrogating the inclusive potentials of a sport movement from an ableism-critical perspective

Martin Giese, Tobias Buchner, Christopher Mihajlovic and Felix Oldörp

More information from the book: Special Olympics Inclusion Debates and Equity in Sport