Skateboarding Between Subculture and the Olympics

The inclusion of skateboarding as an official discipline in the 2020 Olympic Games marks the pinnacle of a decades-long process of commercialization and sportification. Is the tightly-knit subculture in danger of losing its very identity?
This anthology creates an analytical framework for understanding the fundamental conflict between skateboarding's core ethos and the tenets of institutionalized sports. Eleven acclaimed international authors from the fields of architecture, philosophy, sociology, sports sciences and gender studies provide a unique perspective on the manifold manifestations of skateboarding previously ignored by academic discourse.

Jürgen Schwier (PhD), born 1959, is a Professor for Kinesiology and the Sociology of Sport at the Europa-University Flensburg. From 1998 to 2009, he served as Professor for the socio-scientific fundamentals of sports at Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen. His research focus includes sports communications, physical education at schools, as well as the development of trend sports.
Veith Kilberth, born 1976, blends his Sports Sciences diploma from the University of Cologne with experience as a former professional skateboarder. Currently a doctoral candidate at the Europa University Flensburg, he plans and realizes skate park projects as a partner in agency Landskate. He specializes in the fields of youth marketing, trend sports, skateboarding and skateparks.