Identity and Cultural Transition: Lessons to Learn from a Negative Case Analysis

Abstract

In this paper, we present a single case study of identity crisis that unfolded in the cultural transition context. Our participant was 'Jenni'a 26 years old female basketball player with the double (Scandinavian and African American) ethnic identity. In a series of life story interviews, she shared her story of migrating to the USA at the age of 16 for sport and study. Jenni's transition narrative was extracted and analyzed using several complementary theoretical frameworks, including the intersectionality perspective on identity. The analysis of the transition narrative revealed that in spite of the pre-transition high expectations about the transition success, Jenni experienced a crisis-type cultural transition with her identity crisis at its heart. Jenni's significant others voluntary or involuntary contributed to her identity crisis by problematizing and/or marginalizing layers of her identity. We conclude with recommendations for sport psychology practitioners and other stakeholders to help them support athletic migrants' identity negotiations.

Place Matters: A Study on the Influence of Birthplace and the Place of Development on Soccer Academy Players’ Careers

“…This cultural transition also means that significant cultural boundaries can be crossed in the process of adapting to the new value systems, social norms, and lifestyles prevalent in the host club environments [ 71 , 72 ]. This cultural transition is an issue that has received considerable attention in soccer settings, as it has been recognised that acclimatisation to a new sporting and social culture can have a substantial impact on player well-being and performance in the field [ 73 , 74 ].…”

Adding experiential layers to the transnational-athlete concept: A narrative review of real-world heterogeneous mobility experiences

“…With close connections to matters of nationality and mobility, transnationalism refers to increasing cooperation and connectivity spanning national borders (e.g., in terms of economics, communication, politics, medicine, and more) between individuals, organisations, and institutions (Giulianotti & Brownell, 2012;Koikkalainen, 2013;Ryba et al, 2018). "Transnational migration", which has been increasing in sporting contexts (Ryba et al, 2015, p. 125), can foster diverse and fluid identities (Ryba et al, 2015(Ryba et al, , 2016 and influence development both inside and outside of sport (Ryba et al, 2018;, leading sport psychology researchers (e.g, Schinke et al, 2019) to advocate transitioning from singular interpretations of identity toward plural, intersecting conceptions (see Schinke et al, 2007;Stambulova & Ryba, 2020). The connections formed via transnational practice-which may be physical, psychological, or virtual links-have implications across a range of sporting professionals (e.g., athletes, coaches, sport psychologists, and other support staff) and across a range of skill levels and competences.…”

“…Moreover, as we agree with the view that identities are "multiple, dynamic, and fragmented" (Ronkainen et al, 2016, p. 47), we advocate the use of more inclusive language that better reflects this reality. Encouragingly, research in cultural sport psychology has increasingly highlighted the plural and intersecting backgrounds that can be engendered by migration and transnational practices (e.g., Stambulova & Ryba, 2020). That said, we still encounter language in research and real-world sport that we feel fails to recognise this diversity.…”

New Approaches to Identity in Sport

“…CSP scholars considered identity as a complex, evolving, and fluid cultural construction that was best explored using qualitative methodologies. A particular pathway stemming from CSP scholarship was the focus on intersectional identities (Schinke et al, 2019;Stambulova & Ryba, 2020), which focused on understanding how athletic identities overlap with other identities, such as those related to gender, race, or religion. Moreover, narrative research, which similarly tends to highlight identity-related issues, started to grow in popularity in sport psychology.…”