Social capital development among ethnic minorities in mixed and separate sport clubs

Abstract

Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, BelgiumDuring the past few decades, policymakers have had increasing expectations of sport in relation to the social integration of ethnic minorities. From a policy perspective, mixed organized sport is often advocated in order to bring people of diverse cultures in contact with each other which, in turn, is believed to foster interethnic tolerance and solidarity. At the same time, there is the perception that separate organized sport impedes the integration of ethnic minorities. However, there is little empirical underpinning to verify that a mixed organized sport context offers more opportunities in generating social capital among its members in comparison with a separate sport context. By using Putnam's theory on bridging and bonding social capital as a theoretical framework, this study was aimed to examine to what extent social capital is created in both mixed and separate sport clubs among ethnic minorities in Flanders (Belgium). The findings could not support the common belief that a mixed organized sport context offers more social integrative potential to its members compared with a separate sport context. The research suggests that both types of contexts offer the opportunity to acquire social capital. Simultaneously, both forms produce different social capital. Mixed sport club members indicated more that they learnt to make contact with others, became self-confident and learnt about other ethnic groups, while members of separate sport clubs appeared to have more personal non-sport-related conversations with other members and helped each other more often outside the sporting context.

Immigration and Social Inclusion: Possibilities from School and Sports

“…An important part of the results of these investigations has indicated that sport is a favorable element for the contexts related to the phenomenon of immigration. In concrete terms, these studies show that sport cooperates positively with: (a) the acquisition of social and cultural capital [20][21][22][23]; (b) maintaining cultural identity and cohesion around it [64]; (c) the interaction between "culturally different" [18,[24][25][26]; and (d) the creation of intercultural networks [27].…”

“…The specific literature on this matter indicates that sport offers important possibilities for the contexts that present immigrant population, because it favors: (a) the acquisition of social and cultural capital [20][21][22][23]; (b) the maintaining of cultural identity and cohesion around it [10]; (c) the interaction between "culturally different" [18,[24][25][26]; and (d) the creation of intercultural…”

La Integración de los Estudiantes Inmigrantes en un Programa de Deporte Escolar con Fines de Transformación Social

“…Existe coincidencia respecto a que los métodos empleados o contextos de trabajo son determinantes; el deporte aumenta su potencial intercultural en entornos que promueven valores sociales y respeto mutuo (Hatzigeorgiadis et al, 2013;Li, Sotiriadou, & Auld, 2015), permitiendo la adquisición de capital social extrapolable fuera del deporte (Theebom, Schaillée, & Nols, 2012) y la adaptación a contextos con diversidad cultural (Allen et al, 2010); facilitando así la inclusión de colectivos inmigrantes (Tirone, Livingston, Miler, & Smith, 2010). Los programas deportivos comunitarios han demostrado ser efectivos para estos fines (Forde, Lee, Mills, & Frisby, 2015) siempre que se eviten segregaciones o las "automarginaciones" que puedan producirse (Makarova & Herzog, 2014).…”

“…Además, situaciones como la anteriormente descrita podría producir diferencias en la adqusición de capital social entre hombres y mujeres (Pfister, 2004;Theebom et al, 2012). Sin embargo, éste tipo de situaciones ocurrió sólo en algunos grupos específicos (con momitores de menos experiencia) y de forma aislada con algunas niñas, sin que se configure como una conducta o actitud constante.…”

Mixed-sex in sport for development: a pragmatic and symbolic device. The case of touch rugby for forced migrants in Rome

“…Separated sport activities can also provide members of disempowered groups with temporary relief from the strain habitually experienced in their everyday asymmetrical interactions (Krouwel et al 2006). Moreover, the simplistic idea that segregated sports activities only reinforce bonding social capital, whereas mixed activity generates bridging social capital, has been questioned by several studies (Elling, De Knop, and Knoppers 2001;Janssens and Verweel 2014;Spaaij 2012;Theeboom, Schaillée, and Nols 2012).…”