Sport as a Catalyst for Social Cohesion in Fragmented Communities. A View from Post-Apartheid South Africa

Abstract

Sport is historically viewed as bringing people together. Accordingly, sport has different effects on the participants. There are feelings of joy when your team wins and feelings of despair when the team is losing.  The aim of the article was to determine if sport could be an enabling factor for social cohesion in fragmented communities. A qualitative methodology was deemed appropriate for this study. A total of 100 participants were interviewed, comprising of community leaders, team members and parents. Semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect data. The contribution of sport to social cohesion and nation-building is mostly studied from a formal organized perspective. This article’s focus is not on organized sport but on sport that is organized and driven by communities.  In particular, if these events are able to contribute to social cohesion and building fragmented societies. The findings suggest that community sport events have the potential to contribute and promote social cohesion.

Keywords:social cohesion, trust, sense of belonging, crime, local government, sport festival, poverty, fragmented societies, community sport

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-8-03

Publication date: April 30^th 2021