Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Sport from above.- Chapter 3. A Swedish invention that conquered the world.- Chapter 4: The development of Swedish sport until the 1930s.- Chapter 5: The development of Swedish sport politics until the 1930s.- Chapter 6. The Social Democrats conquer sport.- Chapter 7: The golden age of sport respectability – the post-war period.- Chapter 8: The golden age of the Swedish sport model.- Chapter 9. The polarisation of sport in the post-industrial era.- Chapter 10: Sport – a political exception?

This book presents a history of Swedish sport, highlighting in particular the relationship between sport politics and people’s changing attitudes towards sport from the eighteenth century until today. It scrutinizes the interaction between sport politics and people’s different approaches to sport in everyday life. By investigating how different ways of pursuing and conceptualizing sport have progressed and interacted, and how they have influenced as well been influenced by sport politics, this book discerns the role of both governmental and municipal politics in the development of sport in Sweden.Jens Ljunggren is Professor of History at Stockholm University, Sweden.

“This book which does justice to Ljunggren’s impressive research. Worthy of attention … . This is an admirable study and one that could serve as a template for political histories of other countries. Finally, Palgrave Macmillan deserve praise for publishing a series of Studies in Sport and Politics. It is to Ljunggren’s credit, however, that his book is alone in the series in having the word ‘political’ … in its title.” (Alan Bairner, idrottsforum.org, September 4, 2024)

Presents a history of Swedish sport from the eighteenth century until today Explores the role of both governmental and municipal politics in the development of sport in Sweden Investigates how different ways of pursuing and conceptualizing sport have progressed and interacted