Sport for Reconcilliation

“A Comparative Exploration of Sport for Reconciliation in Indigenous Communities in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.” (2020-2025; Role: Co-Investigator - PI: Audrey Giles, University of Ottawa; Co-Is: Dan Henhawk, University of Manitoba; Rochelle Stewart-Withers, Massey University, New Zealand; Steven Rynne, Queensland University, Australia).

I am a Co-Investigator on a SSHRC IG that explores sport for reconciliation (SFR) – or the use of sport as a means to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and settler peoples (2020-2025, PI – Dr. Audrey Giles, Co-Is, Dr. Dan Henawk, Steven Rynne, Dr. Rochelle Stewart-Withers, and Dr. Jeremy Hapeta). Despite this proliferation of and increased investments in SFR initiatives in Canada, Australia, and Aotearoa, there has been a dearth of scholarly investigation into this area -- a gap to which our international research team of Indigenous and settler scholars will attend. To address these issues, the objectives of our research are as follows: 1) to understand the prominent positioning of sport as a site for reconciliation by governments, NGOs, professional sports, and the private sector in Canada, Australia, and Aotearoa; 2) to understand the coverage and impact (or lack thereof) of associated policies and practices to advance culturally informed efforts in SFR; and 3) to conduct research that is itself founded on principles of reconciliation.