Challenges in Becoming an Activist Researcher in a Socially Vulnerable Sport Context

• In Event: 18.063 - Action, Activist, and Narrative-Oriented Research in Physical Education

Abstract

This study describes the challenges in becoming an activist researcher in a socially vulnerable sport context. The lead author, supervised by the second author, conducted a six month activist research in a soccer program in a socially and economically disadvantaged neighborhood in Brazil with a group of 17 boys, 4 coaches, a pedagogic coordinator and a social worker. Four challenges were identified and negotiated: the discomfort in using an activist approach, helping the youth to articulate what they know and helping the researcher to see what they were saying, trusting participants’ knowledge, and the culture of sport. We argue that challengers are essential, necessary and significant in an activist research in order to transform researchers and their relationship with co-researchers.

Authors

• Carla Nascimento Luguetti, Santa Cecília University

• Kimberly L. Oliver, New Mexico State University