Abstract
An analysis of the form of belonging constructed among young members of one urban sports club in Oslo shows that the influence of members’ experiences of interethnic interaction outside the club as well as the wider public debates on immigration and integration issues are crucial for their interpretation of sports and identity. In this sports club belonging is characterized by a liberal multiculturalist ideology. The article ends by questioning whether this ideology, when propagated by minority athletes at the top national level, can challenge the existence of broadly shared stereotypes of ethnic minority groups in present-day Norwegian society.
Résumé
Une analyse de la forme d’appartenance créée par des jeunes membres d’un club de sports urbain à Oslo a révélé que l’influence des relations interethniques que ceux-ci avaient vécues à l’extérieur du club d’une part, et les débats publics plus vastes touchant des questions d’immigration et d’intégration d’autre part, sont des facteurs cruciaux dans leur interprétation du sport et de l’identité. Dans le club de sports à l’étude, l’appartenance est caractérisée par une idéologie libérale multiculturaliste. L’article se termine par un questionnement sur la possibilité que cette idéologie, propagée par des athlètes minoritaires jouant à l’échelon national le plus élevé, puisse remettre en question l’existence de stéréotypes généralement acceptés quant aux groupes minoritaires, dans la société norvégienne actuelle.
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Andersson, M. Identity work in sports. Ethnic minority youth, Norwegian macro-debates and the role model aspect. Int. Migration & Integration 3, 83–106 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-002-1004-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-002-1004-9