Agency, gender and intercultural encounters of children and young people: A case study of a football club

This research project concerns how civil society organizations, in this case a football club, works to strengthen children and young people with different backgrounds and contribute to experiences of meaning and involvement. Recent international crisis has brought about the largest migration flows since World War II. There is a clear need for constructive strategies to meet and integrate the new residents. Research highlights the central role of civil society organizations to create trust, social networks and civic engagement, ie basic conditions for a democratic society. There is a well-established notion that participation in sports promotes positive identity construction, social inclusion and education for democratic citizenship, but this is a relatively unexplored field why this project can contribute with valuable knowledge.

The project has the form of a case study and examines strategies and approaches a football club in their work with various social projects aiming to promote intercultural understanding, inclusion, equal opportunities and counteract effects of social and economic segregation and increase young people's agency through participation in sports.

Participating researchers at University West

Karin Kittelman Flensner

Partners

Peter Korp, University of Gothenborg
Eva-Carin Lindgren, University of Gothenborg

External funding

Västra Götalandsregionen
Trollhättans Stad

Duration

2016-2017