Welcome to the fourth issue of sosol.

This edition consists of articles on two separate topics, both areas having become a focus of inquiry over recent years. The first by Geoff Hare explores the 'other' World Cup; that which was contested between Adidas and Nike at France '98, within the general area of globalisation and sport merchandising. The second by Wade Gilbert et. al. deals with coaching and the use of a developed instrument to gather data on the working behaviours of coaches. Indeed, this latter paper follows closely on the heels of the previous sosol edition which was dedicated to a coaching theme. Additionally, in conjunction with the Physical Education Association (PEA-UK) we are pleased to be able to publish a selected number of abstracts from the PEA centenary conference held in April 1999 at the University of Bath, UK. The conference was organised into strands reflecting the interdisciplinary needs of physical education professionals. Sociologists were particularly in evidence in the continuing professional development strand. The last edition of sosol was a thematic edition focusing on the fast growing sociological research into coaching. The next edition, due out in January 2000, will also be organised around a theme which is attracting increasing interest throughout higher education: student learning within the sociology of sport. In Britain, all sport sciences programmes will undergo an external review of teaching quality during the 2000/2001 academic year, so this is a topic of particular relevance. Submissions are invited which focus on any aspect of teaching or student learning within sport sociology. This could include: case-studies, analyses of particular learning/teaching innovations, theoretical discussions, etc. Please email sosol@brunel.ac.uk if you have any ideas for this edition which you would like to discuss with the editors. Innovative submissions welcomed - deadline for submissions end of November, 1999. General papers in the sociology of sport are also welcome.

Copyright sociology of sport online, 1999