Authors
1
M.A. in Sport Sociology, Malard Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2
Director of Sociology Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Sport Management, Malard Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
The main objective of this research was to investigate the empirical relationship between the performance of national sport and national identity of the students. For this purpose, four performance positions were diagnosed, including success while expecting success, success while expecting failure, failure while expecting success, and failure while expecting failure. For national identity also was considered four modes or status: "Self-centered reinforced national identity: national glory, "Self-centered weakened national identity: national shame, Anti-stranger reinforced national identity: national pride, and Anti-stranger weakened national identity: national embarrassment. Content validity was used to determine the validity of the researcher-made questionnaire, and internal consistency reliability and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used to determine its reliability. The statistical population includes undergraduate and graduate students of Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, 320 of whom were selected using non-proportional stratified sampling method. The results showed that, firstly, the success or failure of national sports in any case, respectively, strengthens or weakens national identity. Second, the double strengthening or weakening of national identity depends on the dominant interpretive framework of national sports performance, so that successes or failures far beyond the expectations of national sports provide the basis for strengthening or weakening national identity more than expected successes or failures. Therefore, the issue of national identity is one of the important issues and dimensions in social life that can be directly affected by the sport performance of national teams.
Long Abstract
Introduction
Students are more exposed to changes in national identity than others; because they have wider and expanded relations than other stratums of the society and are more familiar with the tools and issues of modernity and modernization, globalization, new thoughts and ideas and identities. Students have a special place and play an important role in the present and future changes of society; so, considering the high percentage of students and their decisive role in the fate of the country, the study of factors affecting their national identity and especially the subject of the present study, which has not been studied in this regard, can be useful in our understanding of identity issues and their consequences. For this purpose, four functional positions were identified, including success while expecting success, success while expecting failure, failure while expecting success, and failure while expecting failure. Also, four states or conditions for national identity, including "enhanced nationalist identity": national pride; “Self-centered weakened national identity”: national shame; “enhanced anti-stranger national identity”: national pride and “weakened anti-stranger national identity”: national shame, were considered.
Research Tools
This research is a descriptive-correlational research and has been conducted in the field. The statistical population of the study includes all students of the Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, which in 2015 were studying in grades of Bachelor and Masters. The number of these students is about 24,000. The Cochran sample size determination formula was used to determine the required sample size. The minimum sample size required for this study was 318 people. The "probabilistic" sampling method is of the "class disproportionate to volume" type. The category of the researcher is the "study group" of students, according to which the students of four faculties of physical education and sports sciences, basic sciences, art and architecture, and psychology were studied. The data collection tool is a "researcher-made questionnaire" which was developed in two stages. In the first stage, examples of four situations were extracted. For this purpose, first, a list of the country's sports results in the last two years in the Asian and world arenas was extracted. Then, a number of experts, athletes, experts and sports managers of the country were selected as referees and they were asked to determine 5 of the results of athletes for the four positions. Third, the referee’s opinions were extracted and entered in SPSS.
Data Analysis
The results showed that, first, the success or failure of national sports in any case strengthens or weakens national identity, respectively. Second, the double strengthening or weakening of national identity depends on the dominant interpretive framework of national sports performance. So that the successes or failures far from the expectations of the national sport, provide the ground for strengthening or weakening the national identity more than the expected successes or failures.
Conclusion
Findings showed that there is a positive relationship between sports performance of national teams and students' national identity and the success or failure of national sports in any case, respectively, strengthens or weakens national identity. All countries use sports to strengthen national identity, solidarity and create a vibrant atmosphere among members of society. Therefore, the issue of national identity is one of the important issues and dimensions in social life that can be directly affected by the athletic performance of national teams.
reference
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Keywords
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