A Method for Conducting Preliminary Analysis of the Nature and Context of Sport for Development and Peace Projects in Fieldwork Research: An Illustration With a Malagasy Non-Governmental Organization

Abstract

More research on sport for development and peace (SDP) organizations is needed to better understand their actual contributions to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, the unstable, restricted, or even risky contexts in which many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and SDP agencies sometimes operate often leave researchers to face important challenges to develop effective or feasible methods to work with such organizations. This study aimed to address the ontological and epistemological questions about what should be known about a given context in an organization before setting off on fieldwork. We propose a methodology, based on an actantial model (AM), as a method to analyze the nature and context of a project, to assess the actors involved in the project, and to establish if the global cost (i.e., material, temporal, financial, and physical) for conducting fieldwork is realistic and feasible of all the parties involved in the potential project. To illustrate this process, we analyzed the nature and context of an SDP project in Madagascar as the first step for potential collaborative research. As researchers, we do not want to invest time and energy to build up a fully developed field research project with an NGO in a context where it would not be realistic or feasible to conduct such research. Actually in this context, developing a research protocol without an implementation strategy might not only be detrimental to the researchers, but also to the NGO itself, where resources are often limited. Accordingly, the results from this preliminary field research demonstrate that an AM is a relevant analytical tool for obtaining insights about the context, the actors, and their relationships within an NGO. In conclusion, this model might be a useful instrument for conducting an initial analysis for the preliminary identification of the necessary conditions for the construction of a sustainable empirical research partnership with a given SDP project.

Analyzing a sport for development program’s logic model by using key actors’ perceptions: The case of Pour 3 Points organization in Montreal

“…As for the researchers, they must propose support solutions to SFD organizations in order to help them achieve their objectives while minimizing the time and energy required for an already busy field organization structure. Several tools are already available for bridging theory to practice in the SFD field, such as the Actantial Model [ 28 , 29 ], Coalter’s manual [ 11 ], toolkit and associates indicators of the Commonwealth [ 40 ] or other collaborative program evaluation approaches [ 63 ] (Desgagnés) or co-construction process [ 55 , 64 ].…”

“…In particular, local settings of SFD projects are often unstable or insecure, and theoretical frameworks rarely address the contextual challenges of sport for social change practices [ 25 – 27 ]. The complexity of most SFD contexts require the development of operative research method for direct data extraction [ 28 , 29 ]. Second, should the research be used to support/reinforce the field practices or criticize and question actions and achievements [ 30 ]?…”

Long-term perspectives of participating in extracurricular activities in an extreme context in Madagascar

“…There has been scarce exploration into contexts characterized by extreme poverty, refugee camps, conflict zones, areas affected by climate change, or sexual exploitation, which are considered extreme developmental contexts for youth. Constraints like distance, time, security or instability of the context (Gadais et al, 2021), to just name a few, can partially explain why these contexts have been neglected by researchers. Nevertheless, basing theories and world-wide recommendations (United Nations, 2010) on research done mostly exclusively on individuals living in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies (Henrich et al, 2010) seems quite insufficient.…”

Tiro en Braille, iniciativa universitaria de deporte para el desarrollo: impactos en las agendas locales y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

“…El problema es que no existe un modelo o lineamientos claros para documentar la forma en que las universidades miden su impacto en los ODS. Estudios en Argentina, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ghana, Madagascar, Perú y Tonga, aseguran su adhesión a la Agenda 2030/ODS, pero dichos estudios carecen de medidas o impacto documentado (Consejo Iberoamericano del Deporte, 2019a; Charway y Houlihan, 2020; PVE, 2020; Gadais et al, 2021;Keane et al, 2021;Toscano y Molgaray, 2021;Li et al, 2022;Szto y Wilson, 2023).…”

“…Existen llamados para que las universidades se involucren en el cumplimiento de los ODS a través del deporte, pero no hay claridad sobre cómo lograrlo, más allá del ODS 4 (Gobierno de Guatemala, n/d; Plataforma del Voluntariado Español, n/d; Lorenzo et al, 2022;). Lindsey y Darby (2019) señalan la falta de análisis académicos publicados que establezcan la relación entre el deporte y los ODS; más aún, las iniciativas que enfatizan la inclusión lo hacen usando deportes existentes (Gadais et al, 2021). No es fácil documentar actividades de deporte mixto y no existe un énfasis en las personas con discapacidad.…”