The Development and Theoretical Background of Sport-Sociology in Hungary

Abstract

The study outlines the formation of sport sociology in Hungary presenting the background of the development of that discipline. After characterizing early Hungarian sociology reflecting at the same time the middle and East European conditions, the author points out the germs of sport sociology in the 18th and 19th centuries subsequently delineating 20th century tendencies. The first step was the formation of a unique sociological theory of sport within the framework of educational sociology that according to Durkheim and Dewey attempted theoretical analysis of physical education in schools (e.g. Ferenc Kemény, Ernö Fináczy etc.). The next trend was the attitude to sports by the sociologists of the so-called "Twentieth Century" and "Galilei" societies. (e.g. József Madzsar, Róbert Braun, Béla Bosnyák etc.). The most outstanding figure of the above circle was Lóránt Hegedüs who was the first to consequently use the term sport sociology in Hungarian. According to him the formation and development of sport can be explained by G. Tarde's imitation theory. The concept of the compensating and "society uniting" influence of sport appeared in his works. The next outstanding personality in Hungarian sport sociology is Sándor Frigyes Varga who analyzed the sport movement of the 20's and 30's on a neokantian basis. The most detailed analysis of the study is devoted to György Doros's system of sport sociology which in its time was a unique achievement in international literature. Doros's ecclectic concept is built on three sociological systems: Comte's positivism, Spencer's biologism and on historical materialism. Doros's unique sport sociology does, in fact, provide an intermediate theoretical synthesis of sport which would be extremely important for the further development of sport sociology.