Contents

Publisher's Statement
Foreword
Feature
Current Issues

Bulletin 61 print

Contacts

| Feature | No.61 May 2011 |

Essays on the Paralympic Movement: Doubts and Certainties (1)
Keith Gilbert, Otto J.Schantz & David Legg
Initiating the Doubts and Certainties
The title `Essays on the Paralympic Movement: Doubts and Certainties ` was specifically chosen in order for us to be able to review diverse and controversial aspects of the Paralympics, which are not normally researched and discussed in academic literature. It allowed us to review literature and write about the positive structures, positive convictions, positive results and obvious worries, misgivings and reservations that the academic world and society in general has regarding the past and future directions of the Paralympic Movement.
Along with the above, we have published the following articles in order to add to the field of Paralympic research, which has burgeoned over the past few years but which still needs much more reflection and investigation. With this thought in mind, one of our principal objectives is to try to persuade other academics to research at the London 2012, Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
We have also followed the pattern of Paralympic research development by producing the following edited essays simultaneously for at least four distinct groups of individuals in society. Firstly, for students and scholars in Paralympic Studies and Exercise and Sport Science degrees in the higher education sector across the world. Secondly for managers and coaches; thirdly we write for those athletes who are Paralympians and their support personnel and lastly these essays are for advocates of disability and sport across the world and societies at large.
When reflecting on the type of essay that we wanted for this special feature, we were torn between providing a structured title for the authors or just allowing the authors to publish their latest research and reflections. We chose the latter as we wanted to include both seasoned academics and younger academics who are working in the area. To be prescriptive would have lessened the impact of the essays as our ultimate goal was to give voice to academics researching in the Paralympic Movement and allow a freedom, which they can seldom aspire to or achieve in the academic process.
We truly hope you enjoy reading the essays on the Paralympic Games and learn something new regarding the constructive outcomes and problematics of the Movement and that they add to your overall knowledge of the area and arouse your ideas for further research on the Paralympics. Finally, as editors, we would like to thank the individual authors of the essays and also Katrin Koenen from the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education for her support and patience over the past few months during the compilation of the essays. We note that all are open to suggestions and comments on their research and can be reached through their e-mail addresses at the end of each reference list.
Keith Gilbert, Otto J. Schantz & David Legg
Note
(1) The heading `doubts and certainties` was inspired by the book by Homans, G. (1987). Certainties and Doubts, New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Press, and in essence, best fits the main theme of the series of articles in this feature. However we changed the order of the title because after all, doubts should come first in the field of sciences.

Contact
Prof. Keith Gilbert
University of East London
School of Health and Biosciences
London, United Kingdom
Email: k.gilbert@uel.ac.uk

http://www.icsspe.org/