'I haven't lost hope of reaching out ... ': exposing racism in sport by elevating counternarratives

'I haven't lost hope of reaching out ... ': exposing racism in sport by elevating counternarratives

This paper tells the 'back story' to the development of a local soccer hub, which focuses on the experiences of a predominantly South Sudanese team called the Western Tigers. We use a counter-story telling approach anchored in critical race theory, to develop a composite story that brings...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of inclusive education Vol. 21; no. 11; pp. 1097 - 1112
Main Authors: Baker-Lewton, Alison, Sonn, Christopher C., Vincent, David Nyuol, Curnow, Fletcher
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Routledge 02-11-2017
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects:
Athletics
Biographies
Blacks
Critical race theory
Critical Theory
Ethnography
Foreign Countries
homeplaces
Learning Experience
Narratives
Race
Racial Bias
Racial Discrimination
Racial Relations
Racialization
Racism
Refugees
Sense of Community
settlement
slow violence
Soccer
Sports
Story Telling
Team Sports
Violence
Youth
Youth Problems
Australia
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Summary:This paper tells the 'back story' to the development of a local soccer hub, which focuses on the experiences of a predominantly South Sudanese team called the Western Tigers. We use a counter-story telling approach anchored in critical race theory, to develop a composite story that brings together biographical and autobiographical accounts gathered during an ethnographic study. These accounts are narrated from the vantage point of David, a player/coach, whose experiences expose everyday racism and its effects, while also illuminating responses to racism in the context of sport. This composite story challenges dominant narratives about sport in Australian society particularly those that position sport as the great equaliser and a pathway to 'integration' and belonging. Our analysis sheds light onto how the dynamics of racialisation and exclusion take the form of a slow violence for young people of refugee background, shaping their experiences and trajectories on and off the field. We discuss the paradoxical role of settings such as the Western Tigers and the Community Soccer Hub as important 'public homeplaces', that can also be understood as marginalised and marginalising for young people of refugee background.
ISSN:1360-3116
1464-5173
DOI:10.1080/13603116.2017.1350316