Exploring Engagement
French Sports Culture: Public Surveys of Individuals Aged 15 and Over
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Terfous Fatia
This paper focuses on French sporting culture. In France, different approaches have been adopted to study it on a national scale: (1) a census of sports licenses issued by state-approved sports federations, (2) a national survey of French people living in metropolitan France and overseas departments. The aim here is to present the results of the national surveys on the physical and sporting practices of French people in 2020. However, given that climate change is a global societal and scientific issue, another section of the paper is devoted to the outdoor physical and sporting activities of the French. The aim is to examine these issues in the world of nature sports, which are a priori more exposed than other sporting universes (indoor sports, artificial sites, etc.). Consequently, we provide answers to the following questions. Does the 2020 survey establish a link between the results for outdoor activities and climate change ? Does it show an increase or decrease in physical and sporting activities ? What does this survey have to say about the relationship with nature of French people who say they are involved in this type of activity?
The Southeast Asian Games as a Platform for the Mediation of Philippine Cultures and Identities
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jason Paolo Telles
The Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, established in 1959, serves as a regional multi-sport event aimed at displaying athletic achievement and promoting camaraderie among participating nations. This paper explores the SEA Games as a platform for the mediation of cultures and identities, focusing on the Philippines’ experience as a host of the 30th SEA Games in 2019 and its participation over the years. Drawing on Philip D’Agati’s (2010) idea of sport mega-events as “stages” for culture and identity performance and Monroe Price’s (2008) framework that positions these events as “platforms” for communicating a variety of messages, this study examines how these concepts apply to regional events beyond the Olympics and beyond their opening and closing ceremonies. The Philippine experience offers a lens through which one may analyze how culture and identity expression is embedded consciously and unconsciously not only in ceremonial displays but throughout the entire event, including athlete representation, sport program construction, everyday interactions, and media coverage. Utilising archival research, interviews, and textual analysis of media and official communications, this paper investigates the extent to which the SEA Games has served as a stage for culture and identity mediation by the Philippines to local, regional, and international audiences. While acknowledging that the SEA Games does not carry the same global weight as larger events, this study argues that they offer a meaningful context for regional identity expression and dialogue, which may enrich our understanding of the cultural functions and dimensions of sport and sport mega-events in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Exercise Participation and Empowerment: Exploring the Power of Exercise for Change in European and Latin American Women
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jo Fiore, Claire Rossato
Whilst theoretical and empirical application of empowerment theory in research has been applied to a wide range of disciplines, the level of literature exploring empowerment outcomes through sport and exercise participation is far smaller. This study explored i) if regularly taking part in sport and exercise can support empowerment outcomes, ii) the mechanisms facilitating potential outcomes, and importantly, iii) if such outcomes demonstrate the potential to lead to additional and/or longer-term impacts (beyond sport and exercise participation). Broadly, empowerment theory has classified three categories of development: intrapersonal (that is self-image, self-efficacy, or control of one’s life); interpersonal (including level of connectiveness to community or influence on environment), and behaviour (such as participation in formal and/or informal activities) (Zimmerman, 1995, 2000). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two cohorts of women aged eighteen and over from the United Kingdom and Guatemala, who took part in sport and/or exercise at least twice a week for at least thirty minutes per session. Analysis of transcripts were thematically coded into first level and second level categories. Results emphasised participation contributed to the development of internally derived self-belief, connection and a sense of strength from the connection, and an increased sense of control over one’s life, all which importantly, positively impacted upon other aspects of their lives. Whilst further exploration would support deeper understanding of specific processes for development, this study highlights that sport and exercise could act as a vehicle to produce a number of powerful outcomes, which can have wider reaching consequences.
