Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Journal of Sport and Social Issues
Publication Date
12-1-2016
Volume
40
Issue
6
First Page
477
Last Page
498
Publisher
Sage Publications
Keywords
Skateboarding, Edgework, Hong Kong, Helmets, Control
Abstract
Skateboarding has a global reach and will be included for the first time in the 2020 Olympic Games. It has transformed from a subcultural pursuit to a mainstream and popular sport. This research looks at some of the challenges posed by the opening of a new skatepark in Hong Kong and the introduction of a mandatory helmet rule. It explores attitudes to helmets in skateboard media, the local government, and among the skateboarders who use the new skatepark. It argues that helmet use is not only an issue of safety but also an issue of control. From the skateboarders’ perspective, it is about participant control over their sport, and from a government perspective, it is about accountability. The contrast between the two approaches is explored through the concepts of edgework and audit culture. As skateboarding continues to become a mainstream sporting activity, such issues of control will prove to be more relevant and must be negotiated in partnership. The growth in new skateparks, many of which are concrete, underlines the need for this discussion. It is argued that helmet use will continue to be a site of conflict as skateboarding becomes further incorporated into a mainstream sport, and that how helmets are represented in skateboarding will come to indicate who has control over the sport.
DOI
10.1177/0193723516673408
Print ISSN
01937235
E-ISSN
15527638
Publisher Statement
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Accepted Author Manuscript
Language
English
Recommended Citation
O'Connor, P. (2016). Skateboarding, helmets, and control: Observations from skateboard media and a Hong Kong skatepark. Journal of Sport & Social Issues. 40(6), 477-498. doi: 10.1177/0193723516673408