A case for ‘Collective Physical Activity’: moving towards post-capitalist futures

Abstract

This paper makes the case for a post-capitalist oriented ‘Collective Physical Activity’ (Co-PA) to contribute to individual well-being and social change here and now, while working towards more equitable post-capitalist futures. We begin by underlining systemic issues that exacerbate inequalities, highlighting the need for a ‘leisure for all’ contributing to system change. We briefly critique dominant approaches to promoting sport and physical activity to target inequalities, suggesting three potential improvements: first, diverting attention from organized sport towards personally meaningful physical activities; second, focusing on bottom-up collective opportunities, rather than top-down ones; third, advocating for system change to foster hope and tackle societal issues at their roots. To this end, we propose Co-PA as an approach to physical activity for social justice, suggesting three core features: (i) meaning and enjoyment; (ii) collective engagement; and (iii) a post-capitalist outlook. Finally, we outline examples of how these principles could look like in practice.