HARNESSING SOCIAL CAPITAL THROUGH SPORT - EXPLORING THE ROLE OF FOOTBALL IN THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF AFRICAN MIGRANTS IN SWEDEN

Integration ought to be a two-way process, requiring adjustments from both migrants and native residents. However, more adaptation is often required of and indeed achieved by the migrants than host communities. Fortunately, participation avenues such as sports offer opportunities for these migrants to interact with and learn from host communities. This study, therefore, explored how African migrants utilize football to create social relations and develop the social capital necessary for their integration in Gothenburg, Sweden. The study employed a qualitative methodology, specifically semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted digitally. Ten adult African migrants living in Gothenburg were interviewed and data was analyzed thematically. The Social capital theory and the Conceptual framework for understanding migrant integration formed the theoretical and analytical framework. Football was revealed as a powerful tool for socio-economic integration, especially since it facilitated migrants’ building of reliable social connections in their host communities.  Article visualizations: