Diversity work in community sport organizations: Commitment, resistance and institutional change

Abstract

Diversity is a key term used in a range of public and private organizations to describe institutional goals, values and practices. Sport is a prominent social institution where the language of diversity is frequently and positively used; yet, this rhetoric does not necessarily translate into actual practice within sport organizations. This paper critically examines diversity work in community sports clubs. Drawing upon qualitative research at 31 amateur sports clubs in Australia, the findings show that diversity work in community sport organizations is often haphazard and accidental, rather than a strategic response or adaptation to policy. This paper concludes that while individual champions are critical to the promotion of diversity, persistent tensions and resistance arise when they seek to translate the language of diversity into institutional practice.

Problematizing the absent girl: sport as a means of emancipation and social inclusion

“…Although, through the focus on the role of sport in promoting social inclusion, ideals of integration have been noted to imply assimilation of the cultures and norms of mainstream society (cf. Ekholm and Dahlstedt 2017;Forde et al, 2015), thus reinforcing racial hierarchies and stigmatizing the already excluded youth (Hylton 2011;Long, Hylton, and Spracklen 2014;Spaaij et al 2016). In addition, it has been noted that children with migrant backgrounds have been included as the subjects of intervention in sports activities rather than as regular members of voluntary sports clubs in civil society (Agergaard, Michelsen la Cour, and Treumer Gregersen 2015).…”

Football for Inclusion: Examining the Pedagogic Rationalities and the Technologies of Solidarity of a Sports-Based Intervention in Sweden

“…With specific reference to sport as a means of inclusion, some problematic aspects regarding its potential have been identified. It is important to highlight the risk of inclusion in a sports context being seen as synonymous with adaptation (assimilation) to specific norms and to the pre-defined ideals of the majority, creating stereotypes of these groups, maintaining hierarchies, and excluding racialised groups (e.g., Forde, Lee, Mills, & Frisby, 2015;Hylton, 2011;Long, Hylton, & Spracklen, 2014;Spaaij et al, 2016). Furthermore, different types of inclusion have been identified, involving both the strengthening of bonds within groups, and thereby creating stronger boundaries against other groups (exclusive bonding), as well as the creation of bridging contacts between different groups (inclusive bridging) (Coakley, 2011).…”

‘Defnyddiwch y Gymraeg’1: community sport as a vehicle for encouraging the use of the Welsh language

“…(2) Increase our insight into the linguistic ethos of particular community sport clubs attended by pupils from the school The evidence collected for this paper derives from two research settings that included one school and seven community sport clubs. A community sport club is defined as a local voluntary organisation whose main purpose is to provide opportunities to participate in sport (Spaaij, Magee, Farquharson, Gorman, Jeanes, Lusher and Storr 2016). The relevance of conducting research in these contexts was to understand the diversity of language use between the school's Welsh speaking environment and the English speaking environment of the seven clubs.…”