Date of Award

1997

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.H.K.

Department

Kinesiology

Keywords

Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies.

Supervisor

Paraschak, Victoria,

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to better understand the relationship between Rugby League and Aboriginality. The prevalence of Aborigines within the ranks of professional Rugby League players exceeds their proportion of the overall population. Many journalists have therefore speculated about possible explanations for this trend. To date the most common response has been to credit "black magic"--an innate physical ability possessed by Australia's Indigenous peoples. The primary question of this study was: What is the relationship between Rugby League and Aboriginality? This question was divided into three sub-problems in order to focus the data collection and assist with data analysis. These three sub-problems were: (1) How are identities formed, fostered and challenged? What social construction took place concerning athletic/football identity, Aboriginal identity and regional identity? (2) What is the nature of Aboriginal participation in rugby league? This examination included three spaces on the participation spectrum including: all-Aboriginal sporting carnivals, all-Aboriginal teams playing within mainstream sport, and lastly, individual participation within mainstream sport. (3) What is the relationship between identities within rugby league? This section sought to examine the interactions which took place between differing identities in different places. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)Dept. of Kinesiology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1997 .G62. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 37-01, page: 0140. Adviser: Victoria Paraschak. Thesis (M.H.K.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1997.

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