Ramón Spaaij, Carla Luguetti, Brent McDonald and Fiona McLachlan
The Australian Sociological Association (TASA) Conference
University of Melbourne
Australia
Abstract
There are systemic and longstanding inequalities in sport participation for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants at the level of access, experience, and representation. Drawing on theoretical foundations of critical pedagogy and social justice education, as well as a public sociology perspective, this paper examines the development of community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) to support the co-creation of inclusive climates in sports clubs in super-diverse communities in Melbourne, Australia. We use recordings and artefacts from collaborative sessions, interviews, surveys, and reflections to analyse the CBPAR’s impact on participating community sport leaders’ and volunteers’ awareness and practice. The findings indicate how the collaborative process of assessing clubs’ diversity and inclusion climates raised participants’ awareness of inequities and exclusionary practices, and how the co-creation of strategies for change brought together diverse perspectives that bridged the research-practice divide. We reflect on the implications of the CBPAR for research practice aimed at promoting equitable access, experiences, and representations of CALD migrants in community sport.
Ramón Spaaij 