School sport and political change

Abstract

This dissertation will attempt to explain the changes that have and are taking place within south African sport and especially school sport. This will be viewed in the context of changing political developments. The central question that will be addressed is whether progressive school sports bodies can effect meaningful political change. Kuhn's theory of scientific revolutions will be used as the theoretical framework for understanding social and political change. He developed the concept of paradigms (frame of .reference) in which an established paradigm prevails, challenged by an emerging rival paradigm. This theory has been applied to the present day south African political context in which the apartheid structure is the prevailing paradigm and the democratic movement, the emerging rival paradigm.