The Contours, Dynamics and Impacts of African Football Migration to South Africa
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The Contours, Dynamics and Impacts of African Football Migration to South Africa Eirik Futsæter Solberg Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Studies at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Prof. Scarlett Cornelissen December 2008 Declaration By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the owner of the copyright thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. ____________________ May 2008 Eirik Futsæter Solberg Date Copyright © 2008 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Abstract This study explores the contours, dynamics and impacts of African football migration to South Africa. It argues that there has been a change in the international political economy of sport, and that this change is affecting world football migration. In addition to the study’s primary focus on African football migration, it also reviews substantial parts of the literature concerning the phenomenon of football migration, in order to explain which dynamics characterise football migration. The thesis also accounts for the incentives that motivate African football migration to South Africa, and the impact such players have on the South African domestic elite league. The study identifies which incentives exist for promoting football cooperation in the context of Southern Africa, and how football migration patterns correlate or contrast with general migration patterns to South Africa. The study makes use of two theoretical frameworks, by Paul Darby and Joseph Maguire, to understand and explain player migration. These frameworks provide an understanding of the different aspects and structures shaping player migration, and should be interpreted as complementary and not contrasting approaches. The examination of the frameworks’ theoretical deficiencies and implications provides the basis for further research in the conclusion. The conclusion argues that there exists a need to create a new theoretical framework within which future studies can be concluded. The study is motivated by the general lack of academic research on the specific subject and migration to South Africa. The latter is suggested by the body of literature, concerning African migration to South Africa, which argues for more research on the issue to get a better understanding of the current situation. This study is based on both primary and secondary sources, the latter being represented by e.g. academic journal articles and books. In addition it was necessary to conduct fieldwork to provide answers to the research questions. The study makes use of exploratory qualitative methods in order to provide a conclusion, and to answer the research questions. It can be characterised as exploratory because it will offer new insights into a specific issue which, until now, has not been researched extensively. The analysis of the data and desktop research revealed certain trends, and provides a basis for answering the research questions. The study concludes that football migration, like conventional migration, is very complex and influenced by several interwoven factors. Hence a broad scope is crucial to understand the phenomenon correctly and not exaggerate the importance of some factors above others. In the conclusion the current position of the PSL is explained in relation to the two theoretical frameworks and the work of Pierre Lanfranchi and Matthew Taylor. It is argued that the PSL, unlike most other African leagues, has managed to cope with the ‘enduring problem of African football’, and has transformed into a commercialised, commoditised league heavily influenced by corporate interests. ii Opsomming Hierdie studie ontleed die aard, dinamiek en impak van die migrasie van sokkerspelers van die res van die Afrika-vasteland na Suid-Afrika. Dit word beweer dat daar ’n verskuiwing plaasgevind het in die internasionale politieke ekonomie van sport, en dat dit internasionale sokkermigrasie beïnvloed. Benewens die primêre fokus op sokkermigrasie in Afrika, verskaf die studie ook ‘n omvattende oorsig van bestaande literatuur oor sokkermigrasie, om sodoende verklarings te bied vir die redes en dinamiek rondom hierdie verskynsel. Die tesis spreek ook die faktore aan wat aansporing bied aan Afrika-spelers om na Suid-Afrika te migreer, en die impak wat sulke spelers op die Suid-Afrikaanse topliga het. Die studie identifiseer die insentiewe wat bestaan om sokkersamewerking in die Suider-Afrika streek te bevorder, en hoe tendense rondom sokkermigrasie korreleer of afwyk van breë migrasiepatrone na Suid-Afrika. Die studie steun op twee teoretiese raamwerke om sokkermigrasie te ontleed en te verklaar. Hierdie raamwerke, wat deur Paul Darby en Joseph Maguire formuleer was, verskaf verklaringe oor die verskillende faktore en strukture wat sokkermigrasie beïnvloed. Hulle moet as aanvullend, eerder as uiteenlopende benaderings beskou word. ‘n Ontleding van die tekortkominge van die teoretiese raamwerke word gedoen, en die implikasies hiervan vir verdere toekomstige navorsing word in die samevatting bespreek. Dit word beweer dat daar ’n behoefte aan ’n nuwe teoretiese raamwerk bestaan waarbinne toekomstige ontledings geplaas kan word. Die motivering vir die studie spruit uit die algemene tekort aan akademiese navorsing oor migrasie na Suid-Afrika. Bestaande literatuur oor Afrika-migrasie na Suid-Afrika beklemtoon ook die behoefte aan meer navorsing om sodoende ’n beter begrip oor hierdie aangeleentheid te ontwikkel. Die studie maak gebruik van primêre sowel as sekondêre bronne. Laasgenoemde bestaan uit vaktydskrifartikels en boeke. Primêre inligting is verwerf deur middel van veldwerk. Die studie maak gebruik van verkennende, kwalitatiewe metodes. Die ontleding onthul bepaalde tendense, na aanleiding waarvan sekere gevolgtrekkings gemaak kan word. Soortgelyk aan konvensionele migrasie is sokkermigrasie baie kompleks en word dit deur verskeie oorvleuelende faktore beïnvloed. Dit is dus nodig om ’n breë benadering tot die verskynsel te neem, en om nie die belangrikheid van sekere faktore bo ander te beklemtoon nie. Die samevatting bespreek die huidige posisie van die PSL aan die hand van die twee teoretiese raamwerke, en die werk van Pierre Lanfanchi en Matthew Taylor. Dit word beweer dat die PSL die ‘durende probleem van Afrika-sokker’, wat ander Afrika-ligas te beurt val, te bowe gekom het, en homself omskep het in ’n gekommersialiseerde, kommodifiseerde liga wat baie deur korporatiewe belange beïnvloed word. iii Acknowledgements I would like to extend my gratitude to the following people for their valuable assistance and support: • My supervisor, Dr Scarlett Cornelissen, for her patience and dedicated guidance • To Steffen Horstmeier for his interest in my work and helpful assistance • To my family and friends for their ongoing support and encouragement Eirik Futsæter Solberg Cape Town, South Africa May 2008 iv Table of Contents Declaration _____________________________________________________________ i Abstract ________________________________________________________________ii Opsomming____________________________________________________________ iii Acknowledgements______________________________________________________ iv List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ________________________________________ ix List of Appendices _____________________________________________________ viii Chapter 1: Introduction ____________________________________________________ 1 1.1 Problem statement_____________________________________________________ 1 1.2 Research questions ____________________________________________________ 4 1.3 Literature review______________________________________________________ 4 1.3.1 Defining the concept of migration _______________________________________ 4 1.3.2 Review of international migration _______________________________________ 5 1.3.3 Review of international sport and football migration ________________________ 7 1.3.3.1 Moving with the ball ________________________________________________ 8 1.3.3.2 Contrasts, causes and effects_________________________________________ 13 1.3.4 General African migration ____________________________________________ 13 1.3.5 Main Types of African Migration in the Current Era _______________________ 14 1.3.6 Main Causes and Effects _____________________________________________ 15 1.3.7 African sport migration ______________________________________________ 16 1.4 Aims of study _______________________________________________________ 16 1.5 Theoretical framework ________________________________________________ 17 1.5.1 Africa’s Place in the International Federation of Association Football’s Global Order ___ 17 1.5.2 Examining the Deficiencies of Darby’s framework_________________________ 19 1.5.3 The Sport Industrial Complex _________________________________________ 21 1.6 Conceptualisation ____________________________________________________ 23 1.7 Methodology ________________________________________________________ 24 1.8 Delimitations________________________________________________________ 27 1.9 Thesis outline _______________________________________________________ 28 v Chapter 2: The Nature of Global Football and Migration_________________________ 30 2.1 Introduction_________________________________________________________ 30 2.2 Commoditisation and Commercialisation__________________________________