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Alan Bairner

Professor of Sport and Social Theory, Loughborough University
Alan Bairner is Professor of Sport and Social Theory at Loughborough UNiversity

He studied Politics at the University of Edinburgh, gained a PGCE from Moray House College of Education and was awarded his PhD at the University of Hull for a thesis on the social and political theory of Antonio Gramsci. Prior to his arrival in Loughborough in 2003, he was Professor in Sport Studies at the University of Ulster where he had worked for twenty five years.

He is the author of Sport, Nationalism, and Globalization. Europe and North American Perspectives (2001) and co-author (with John Sugden) of Sport, Sectarianism and Society in a Divided Ireland (1993). He edited Sport and the Irish. Histories, Identities, Issues (2005) and is joint editor of Sport in Divided Societies (1999), The Bountiful Game? Football Identities and Finances (2005) and The Politics of the Olympics. A Survey (2010). He is co-editor with John Kelly and Jung Woo Lee of the Routledge Handbook of Sport and Politics to be published n 2016. His current research focuses on the relationships between sport and national identity and between sport, leisure and urban spaces.He is currently preparing a monograph on sport and politics for a Routledge series, ‘Frontiers of Sport’, for which he is series editor.

Professor Bairner is a former Loughborough University Branch President of the University and College Union UCU). He is also the editor-in-chief of the Asia Pacific Journal of Sport and Social Science.

He is module leader for PSB015 Sport, Ideologies and Values and for PSC025 Sport, Celebrity and Place.

England invented football – but Scots made it the success it has become

Aug 13, 2018 13:56 pm UTC| Insights & Views Sports

In his book, How Scots Invented the Modern World, American writer Arthur Herman credited the inventiveness of Sots in numerous fields including science, education, medicine, and philosophy and medicine. In so doing, he...

Economy

Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Rebounds on Iran Sanctions

Asian currencies slipped on Tuesday as the U.S. dollar staged a modest rebound, with investors weighing expanded U.S. sanctions on Iran, elevated Treasury yields and upcoming Federal Reserve policy signals. The U.S. Dollar...

Asian Stocks Slip Ahead of Nvidia Earnings and US Inflation Data

Asian stocks mostly fell Tuesday as technology shares came under renewed pressure, while geopolitical uncertainty and upcoming U.S. economic data encouraged investors to reduce risk. The MSCI AC Asia Pacific index dropped...

Fed Chair Warsh to Speak at Pivotal Jackson Hole Symposium Amidst Economic Headwinds

With Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh presenting the opening speech on August 28, the approaching Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium set for August 2729 promises to be a major event in world economics. Renowned for...

US-Canada Tariff War Escalates With 50% Auto Duties

The U.S.-Canada trade war has intensified since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, disrupting decades of economic cooperation and hitting industries including steel, aluminum, automobiles, lumber...

Unitree Shares Plunge 45% After Blockbuster IPO, Raising China Tech Bubble Fears

Unitree shares have plunged about 45% from their post-IPO highs, raising concerns about a potential robotics stock bubble, retail investor losses and weaknesses in Chinas listing system. The Chinese humanoid robot maker...

Politics

Iran Vows Retaliation as U.S. Expands Sanctions Pressure

Iran has vowed to retaliate against expanded U.S. sanctions aimed at restricting Tehrans access to the global economy, while expressing confidence that major trading partners, including China and Russia, will resist...

UK, France Pledge Stronger Military Support for Ukraine

Britain and France pledged stronger military support for Ukraine on Monday, including faster air defence deliveries and access to classified missile technology, as Kyiv marked the 35th anniversary of its independence....

Pakistan, Iran Report Progress in Talks to End U.S.-Israeli War

Pakistan and Iran have reported significant progress in diplomatic talks aimed at preventing further escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and finding a path toward a negotiated end to the conflict. Pakistans Interior...

New Zealand Labour Backs Social Media Ban for Under-16s

New Zealands main opposition Labour Party said Tuesday it will support a proposed social media ban for children under 16, giving Prime Minister Christopher Luxon a potential path to advance the legislation despite...

Netanyahu Says Iran Tried to Kill His Son

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Iran attempted to assassinate one of his sons, adding another layer to heightened tensions between Israel and Tehran following months of conflict. Netanyahu made...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Luxshare Shares Rise as First-Half Profit Jumps 18%

Luxshare Precision Industry shares gained on Monday after the major Apple supplier reported strong first-half earnings and projected double-digit profit growth for the first nine months of the year, supported by expanding...

Nvidia Options Price in $280 Billion Earnings Swing

Nvidia options traders are preparing for a potentially massive market reaction when the AI chip giant reports second-quarter earnings on Wednesday, with derivatives pricing suggesting a roughly $280 billion shift in the...

SK Hynix Shares Fall as Workers Reject Wage Deal

SK Hynix shares declined on Tuesday after union members narrowly voted against a tentative wage agreement, forcing the South Korean chipmaker and its workers to return to negotiations over pay and performance incentives....

Trump Buys SpaceX Shares After Record IPO

President Donald Trump purchased between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of SpaceX shares on June 23, according to a financial disclosure signed on August 12 and released Friday. The SpaceX investment was one of more than 1,000...

Xiaomi Unveils Xring O3 Chip for Flagship Foldable Phone

Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi unveiled its new Xring O3 processor on Monday, advancing its strategy to develop proprietary chips and reduce dependence on external semiconductor suppliers such as Qualcomm and MediaTek....