University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2016 Women's Participation in Sports: Obstacles and Facilitators Tiifu, Faizah Tiifu, F. (2016). Women's Participation in Sports: Obstacles and Facilitators (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28721 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3221 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Women’s Participation in Sports: Obstacles and Facilitators by Faizah Tiifu A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ANTHROPOLOGY CALGARY, ALBERTA AUGUST, 2016 © Faizah Tiifu 2016 Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the factors participants identify to influence their participation in sport. This ethnographic study used three primary data collection methods: autoethnography, interviews, and participant observation. Two non-probability sampling methods- purposive sampling and snowball sampling methods were used to select participants for the study. Seventy participants took part in the study: 25 participants were observed and 45 were interviewed. To analyse the fieldnotes and transcripts, I used inductive coding methods including frequency count, ordering, sorting, and categorisation. The factors which influenced participation in sports belonged to two categories, facilitators and obstacles. The facilitators were: interpersonal factors, intrapersonal factors, policy and physician recommendations, and environmental factors. The obstacles were: financial issues, non-support and inadequate time. Results show that there were more facilitators than obstacles influencing women’s participation in sports. ii Acknowledgements I would like to use this opportunity to recognise contribution of some very important people towards my thesis. First and most importantly, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Charles Mather for his support during my studies at the University of Calgary (U of C). Your guidance and support throughout my studies, and shared love for sports, has made my time at the U of C very memorable and truly meaningful. Your time, concern as well as effort invested in me, interest in my studies, constructive comments and feedback, and welcoming personality, all motivated me to write this thesis. I could not have had for a better supervisor. Words are not enough to say how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. I am eternally grateful to you. I would also like to thank my examining committee, namely, Dr. Naotaka Hayashi, and Dr. Gerry Oetelaar for their insight into my work, for their contribution of ideas, and for pointing out several directions for my work to extend to in the future. My gratitude also goes to Dr. Caesar Roland Apentiik, Dr. Mary Lao, Uncle Jima Santenye and Jason Probe for all your academic and moral support. This thesis, would not have been without the backing of the participants. These participants welcomed me with open arms and provided me with useful and valuable data on the factors influencing their participation in sports. A big thank you to all my participants. Finally I will like to thank my lovely and supportive family as well as my good friends in Ghana and Canada for your prayers and encouragement. You have always motivated and supported me in whatever I choose to do in my life. iii Dedication To my family iv Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... iii Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... iiv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. v List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………………. ix List of Figures…………………………… …………………………………………………..…x List of Symbols, Abbreviations (Please refer to appendix A figure one for more details)……........xi CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research Question ................................................................................................................................ 10 1.2.1 The Research Question .......................................................................................................... 10 1.3 My Personal Experience (I) .................................................................................................................. 11 1.4 Justification of Study ............................................................................................................................ 12 1.5 Organisation of work ............................................................................................................................ 13 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................15 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 15 2.2 General Overview of the Anthropology of Sports ................................................................................ 15 2.2.1 Anthropologist and their Contributions to the Study of Sport ............................................... 17 2.2.2 The Body in Anthropology of Sport ...................................................................................... 21 2.3 Sports Studies........................................................................................................................................ 22 2.4 Meaning of and Application Sports ...................................................................................................... 23 2.5 Literature on Anthropology of Sports and Sports Studies .................................................................... 30 2.5.1 Ethnographic Background ...................................................................................................... 30 2.5.2 Participation ........................................................................................................................... 31 2.5.3 Habitus………………………………………………………………………………………33 2.5.3.1 Socio-Cultural Studies of the Body ................................................................................ 34 2.5.4 Nationalisation ....................................................................................................................... 35 2.5.5 Globalisation .......................................................................................................................... 39 2.5.6 Feminism ................................................................................................................................ 42 2.5.7 Volleyball ............................................................................................................................... 43 2.5.8 Autoethnography .................................................................................................................... 45 2.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 46 CHAPTER THREE .........................................................................................................47 v 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 47 3.2 The study design and methods .............................................................................................................. 47 3.3 Sampling ............................................................................................................................................... 48 3.3.1 Site Selection and Access ...................................................................................................... 49 3.3.2 Making Contacts and Selecting Participants .......................................................................... 49 3.3.3 Team Selection ....................................................................................................................... 50 3.3.3.1 Volleyball ........................................................................................................................ 51 3.4 Sampling Unit and Size ........................................................................................................................ 51 3.5 Data Collection ....................................................................................................................................