The Impact of Cricket on Immigrant Social Inclusion in Northern Ontario Communities.

SOCIAL integration; IMMIGRANTS; EMIGRATION & immigration; CRICKET (Sport); SOCIAL capital

In the Northern Ontario communities of North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Timmins, immigrants have organized and run cricket clubs. Using a social inclusion framework, we surveyed players and conducted interviews with players and sponsors to ascertain their perspectives on the impact of cricket on newcomer social inclusion. We find evidence that participation in cricket increases newcomers’ sense of social inclusion and social capital, with sponsorship playing a moderating role. Institutional support and the ability to secure sponsorship are limited by the low profile of the sport in Northern Ontario. As teams balance increasing competitiveness with inclusiveness, cricket has the potential to provide opportunities for interculturalism, mutual learning, and cross-cultural understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dans les communautés du nord de l’Ontario de North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder Bay et Timmins, les immigrants ont organisé et dirigé des clubs de cricket. À l’aide d’un cadre d’inclusion sociale, nous avons interrogé et mené des entretiens avec des joueurs et des commanditaires pour connaître leurs points de vue sur l’impact du cricket sur l’inclusion sociale des nouveaux arrivants. Nous trouvons des preuves que la participation au cricket augmente le sentiment d’inclusion et de capital social des nouveaux arrivants, notamment à travers le rôle modérateur du parrainage. Méconnus dans le nord de l’Ontario, le soutien institutionnel et la capacité d’obtenir des commandites sont ainsi limités pour ce sport. Alors que les équipes sportives tentent de trouver un équilibre entre compétitivité et inclusivité, le cricket devient ce lieu favorisant des échanges interculturels et transculturels, encourageant des apprentissages mutuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Ethnic Studies is the property of Canadian Ethnic Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)