On Thu, 30 Oct 2003, Jon Johanning wrote:
> I meant: a *political theory,* or *critical-theory theory,* not a
> psychological theory. A psychological theory of sports fandom would be
> just as useful or necessary as any other psychological theory,
> considered in purely scientific terms.
>
I don't get the distinction here. Why can a scientist develop a psychological theory of sport, but not a social theory of sport? The meaningful difference here is level of analysis, not the potential for rigorous empirical studies. --In fact, you could argue that it is easier to observe the social facts than it is to assess any hidden psychological factors!
Miles