Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Kinesiology

Collaborative Specialization

Global Health Systems in Africa

Supervisor

Laura Misener

Affiliation

Western University

Abstract

Botswana is on a mission to reach high-income status by 2036. Therefore, the government has called for inclusive economic growth from all sectors of the economy, including the sport sector. Social entrepreneurship (SE) is recognized as a viable tool for inclusive economic growth as it presents economic opportunities for marginalized populations (particularly African women). The literature shows that SE will be beneficial in Botswana, given its high unemployment rate for women (26%) and the high percentage of female-led households (45%). However, the government’s strategies for growing the sport sector do not mention SE. In this dissertation, a group of Batswana women in sport explore the use of social entrepreneurship in sport (SES) as a strategy for achieving inclusive economic growth in the sport sector.

Institutional work theory and structural violence theory were employed to conceptualize SES for women in Botswana. In accordance with decolonial pedagogies, the research focused on peripheral country contexts or peripherized actor perspectives. These contextualized understandings helped frame the argument for more SES practices for women in Botswana.

The first stage involved an integrative review of SES literature from a peripheral country perspective, which revealed that female voices were not given equal influence in this body of work. Following this, a decolonial intersectional participatory action research and narrative analysis was employed to consider SES in Botswana from the perspectives of women in sport, thus, centering the female voice.

Perceptions of SES for women in Botswana were more nuanced than the examples and definitions provided in Western literature on the topic. As a new contribution to the literature, a vision of women meaningfully contributing to economic growth by partnering with their community and communally self-actualizing through SES, is offered. This study also highlighted how a cycle of structural violence in the sports sector has hindered some women from practicing SES and realizing self-actualization.

Summary for Lay Audience

By 2036, Botswana strives to reach high-income status. To achieve this milestone, it has created plans to boost the economic contribution of women in the informal sector as well as the country’s sports industry. Organizations like the World Bank have suggested social entrepreneurship as the best tool for economic growth in Africa. Social entrepreneurship in sport (SES) is defined as using innovation to address social deficiencies in a community through revenue-generating activities in sport. In this dissertation, a group of Batswana women in sport explore the idea of using SES as an economic growth strategy that includes women's economic contributions in sports.

A decolonial lens and the philosophy of Botho were applied to customize the research to the realities of the women participating in the research. Four Batswana women - who have been involved in sports in one way or another - agreed to be co-researchers and participants in this study. Together, we examined their understanding of SES, why SES was not being practiced, and how best to foster SES for girls and women in Botswana.

They demonstrated a desire to practice and implement SES since they believed it to be a viable way of contributing to their community’s social and economic needs. They posited that SES would allow women to fulfill their purpose and passion for working in sports and remain productive members of their community. However, the research illustrates that the sports system was not a conducive environment for females to practice SES. The sports system did not meet girls’ and women’s needs for physical, psychological and emotional safety. Nor did it meet their need for financial security and self-actualization. This lack of safety in women’s sports, thus, in turn, limited women’s ability to practice SES.

The women suggested addressing the issues in the sports system with a “social entrepreneurship-focused gendered approach.” This approach involves fostering social entrepreneurship skills to help address deficiencies experienced by women in several areas of the sport system, including education, mentorship, financial support, and leadership. The women believed that SES would give women the capability of living out their “God-given purpose” of working in sport, and that this approach would cultivate more female social entrepreneurs in sport.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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