From center to periphery: on Critical Theory of Sport in Brazil

Abstract

The Critical Theory of Sport (CTS) is an approach that has its roots in the counterculture and the Frankfurt School. It originated in Europe and arrived in Brazil in the 1980s as a theoretical model for the critique of sport. The development of CTS can be characterized by two stages: one referring to the moment of its arrival and another linked to the critical responses it generated over the following decade. There was also an effort made to apply the approach in the production of descriptive and analytical texts. CTS was especially well-received in the area of physical education, although popularized in ways that sometimes led to its vulgarization. A critique of the approach signals some important issues to be considered, particularly with regard to empirical research. Engaging CTS in fruitful debate would mean taking it back to its theoretical origins and making a more profound use of the concepts proposed by representatives of the Frankfurt School, not as formulae to be applied but as an invitation to research and reflection.