Fun with Freire: Grassroot Soccer, Participatory Learning, and Hiv and Aids Prevention in South Africa
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FUN WITH FREIRE: GRASSROOT SOCCER, PARTICIPATORY LEARNING, AND HIV AND AIDS PREVENTION IN SOUTH AFRICA By Emma Christine Colucci B.A., Communications: Concordia University, 2007 A thesis presented to Ryerson University and York University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Program of Communication and Culture Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2010 ©Emma Christine Colucci, 2010 Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis or dissertation. I authorize Ryerson University to lend this thesis or dissertation to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this thesis or dissertation by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. ii Abstract FUN WITH FREIRE: GRASSROOT SOCCER, PARTICIPATORY LEARNING, AND HIV AND AIDS PREVENTION IN SOUTH AFRICA Master of Arts, 2010 Emma Christine Colucci Communication and Culture, Ryerson University and York University This thesis focuses on the universality of soccer, and participatory educational methodologies as tools to combat HIV and AIDS through a case study of Grassroot Soccer (GRS). GRS is an organization that empowers African youth with the knowledge, skills and support to combat the HIV and AIDS pandemic. This thesis specifically explores GRS's work in Port Elizabeth (PE), South Africa. The role of sport, specifically soccer, as a form of Entertainment-Education (E-E) is explored in order to exemplify the value of an otherwise overlooked avenue of positive social change. Paulo Freire’s notion of participatory learning is used to analyze the GRS methodology in order to establish the ways in which the program uses interactive learning structures through soccer as a tool to enhance the GRS student’s sense of self-efficacy and overall knowledge about HIV and AIDS. This thesis substantiates the effectiveness of GRS’s participatory learning structure made possible through sport. iii Acknowledgements It is hard to know where to begin thanking everyone who has played a role in my journey through my Master’s Degree. There are many people without whom I could not have completed this program. I would like to start by thanking Grassroot Soccer, not only for their help in making my research possible, but also for all the amazing and inspiring work they do. Thank you to Tommy Clark, Zak Kauffman, Elise Braunschweig, Taylor Ahlgren and all the interns in Port Elizabeth for helping me set-up and follow-through with my field research. A special thank you to Nolusindiso “Titie” Plaatjie for being a reliable research assistant, and an admirable woman. To all the Grassroot Soccer coaches and students in Port Elizabeth that participated in my interviews, I cannot thank you enough – this thesis would not have been possible without you. To my committee members, Nicole Neverson and Alan Sears, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude for being insightful and encouraging throughout my thesis- writing process. To my supervisor, Amin Alhassan, I feel truly lucky to have had the opportunity to work with you. Your intelligence, kindness, and support allowed me to pursue my areas of interest with confidence and excitement, which has made my thesis an entity of which I am happy and proud. A special thank you to Jo Ann Mackie for her reliability, hard work, and tireless efforts to help me through the Communication and Culture program. You are all amazing! Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my friends and family for their unyielding support in so many ways throughout my Master’s. It is difficult to put my gratitude for you into words, as there are none great enough. To my friends who were by my side through thick and thin, regardless of any physical distance between us, you will forever hold a special place in my heart. Mom, Dad, and Lee, you are the greatest family anyone could ever ask for. No matter what I was going through, there was never any doubt in my mind that you would help me through. I simply could not have done this without you. There have been some difficult, stressful, and also life-changing moments throughout my Master’s. It is a euphoric feeling to have finally reached the end of this journey, and to now be able to take my interest in sport as a tool for positive social change to the next level. Thank you all for your invaluable contribution to this process. iv Dedication This thesis is dedicated to all those who are involved in the struggle against HIV and AIDS. Regardless of how the HIV and AIDS pandemic has impacted one’s life, it is an issue that deserves the world’s attention. The fact that so many people are dying unnecessarily of a disease that is preventable is perhaps one of the biggest hindrances on the moral progression of our human race. While the efforts of a few may sometimes feel futile against the devastation caused by a giant, we must not give up hope. With the will to continue to fight, and the compassion to direct our efforts toward the right causes, our world can overcome the most reprehensible of situations. We must not let the devastation and downfall impede our motivation and aspiration to combat the HIV and AIDS pandemic. v Table of Contents List of Appendices……………………………………………………………..ix List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………………x Chapter 1: Introduction: Entertainment-Education and Grassroot Soccer: New Frontiers …………………………………………..1 1. Introduction……………………………………………………………...1 2. Introduction to Entertainment-Education………………………......……5 a. Entertainment-Education History and Prominent Examples and Uses………………………………………………5 b. Theoretical Basis of Entertainment-Education Development and Research……………………………………...9 i. Self and Collective Efficacy……………………………13 ii. Social Learning Theory…………………………………16 iii. Innovation Diffusion……………………………………18 c. Potential Problems with the Entertainment-Education Strategy…………………………………………………………20 3. Exploring New Avenues of Communication: Integrating Participatory Communication and Learning into Entertainment-Education programs…………………………………….25 a. The Roots of Soccer…………………………………………….27 b. Soccer and its Global Popularity………………………………..30 4. Grassroot Soccer and the Use of Soccer as a Tool of Education: A more Effective form of Entertainment-Education……………………32 Chapter 2: Grassroot Soccer in Port Elizabeth………………………………….39 1. Context: The Issues Grassroot Soccer Aims to Combat………………...39 2. Background and Goals: A History of Grassroot Soccer and A Consideration of its Future…………………………………………...42 vi 3. Grassroot Soccer Methodology: The Overall Structure of the Program…………………………………………………………..45 4. Summary………………………………………………………………..53 Chapter 3: Research Methodology……………………………………………..55 1. Premise…………………………………………………………………55 2. Methodology……………………………………………………………56 a. Participant Observation………………………………………....58 b. Interviews……………………………………………………….61 3. Interview Content and Analysis Summary……………………………..64 4. Methodology Summary…………………………………………………68 Chapter 4: Top-down Structures in Learning: A Theoretical Overview, Implications, and the HIV and AIDS Context………………………70 1. Top-down Learning: A Theoretical Overview of Paulo Freire's Banking Model of Education…………………………………………....70 2. Implications of Paulo Freire’s Banking Model of Education and Top-Down Structures of Learning…………………………………..72 a. Dehumanization and Missed Potential: Negating the Student Voice and Knowledge Base…………………………72 b. Information Control, Defining Reality and the Underdevelopment of a Critical Consciousness…………………73 c. Lack of Independent Thought, Transformative Power, and Dialogue……………………………………………..75 3. The HIV and AIDS Context: Medical vs. Social Definitions……………79 4. Conclusion………………………………………………………………..80 Chapter 5: Participatory/Dialogical Learning: Paulo Freire and Grassroot Soccer....……………………………………………………………….81 1. Participatory Learning and Empowerment: Moving Beyond the Banking Model of Education…………………………………………81 vii a. Acknowledging and Trusting the Student Knowledge Base: Real Humanism……………………………………………82 b. Acknowledging Diverse Contextual Realities and the Ability to Shape Life…………………………………………83 c. Dialogue and the Development of Critical and Independent Thinking and Action……………………………….86 2. Participatory Learning in the Methodology of Grassroot Soccer…………………………………………………………91 a. Listening to the Students………………………………………...91 b. Understanding the Student Realities…………………………….96 c. Dialogue and Action……………………………………………105 3. Conclusion: The Lasting Impact: How Empowerment and Vital Information Carry On After Grassroot Soccer Sessions are Complete……………………………………………………………115 Chapter 6: Conclusion………………………………………………………….123 1. Conclusion……………………………………………………...………123 a. Sport for Development (S4D): New Horizons………………….127 b. A Way Forward………………………………………………....134 Appendices……………………………………………………………………...137 References………………………………………………………………………156 viii List of Appendices Appendix 1: Interview Coding……………………………………………………137 Appendix 2: Assent Forms for GRS Students Participating in Interviews………..139 Appendix 3: Guardian Consent Forms For Guardians of GRS Students Participating in Interviews…………………………………………..141 Appendix 4: Staff Consent Forms for GRS Staff Members Participating in Interviews…………………………………………………………144 Appendix 5: Interview Summary #1 – Soccer and GRS Sessions..…….…………147 Appendix 6: Interview Summary #2 – Past/Present/Future HIV and AIDS Education………………………………………………….…..149 Appendix 7: GRS Student Participant