Abstract
Within the cultural sport psychology (CSP) genre, researchers have considered multiple and inter-secting athlete identity expression to enhance sport participation, inclusion and performance. The aim with the present paper was to build upon, and expand a CSP research agenda that focuses on socially constructed identities, through exploring narrative inquiry in conjunction with athlete autobi-ographies as data (re)sources. To accomplish this aim, we outline the central tenets of narrative in-quiry and convergences with CSP, followed by an overview of autobiography. We then draw on au-tobiography research from cultural studies and sport psychology in relation to two central areas of concern in CSP: gender issues with a focus on women and health and well-being issues in sport. We conclude with some aspirations for future research on autobiographies grounded in narrative inquiry, to expand a CSP research agenda.
Highlights
The study of ‘self-identity’ and physical activity participation has a long history in sport psychology because people have been shown to think, feel and behave in particular ways, within physical activity contexts, in light of ‘who they are’ (McGannon & Spence, 2010; Slater et al, 2015)
Researchers exploring identity within sport psychology popularized the topic in the 1990s, using quantitative methods to explore ‘athletic identity’ as a cognitive structure and/or social role formed through interpersonal interactions
Autobiographic studies grounded in narrative inquiry are growing in sport psychology, because autobiographical analysis adds to, and expands, sport psychology research
Summary
The study of ‘self-identity’ and physical activity participation has a long history in sport psychology because people have been shown to think, feel and behave in particular ways, within physical activity contexts, in light of ‘who they are’ (i.e., self-identity) (McGannon & Spence, 2010; Slater et al, 2015). Sport autobiographies are in abundance, as more athletes and sports workers write about, and confess, their lives in publicly available formats (e.g. book, digital, social media, documentary film) Despite their ubiquity and cultural presence, Andrew Sparkes and Carly Stewart (2016) noted that trustworthiness of autobiographies as data (re)sources may be questioned by those grounding research in realist understandings of identity and seeking objectivity or accuracy, as they may be ghost written and/or produced for profit or sensationalism. Despite potential issues or pitfalls of autobiographies as data resources, the theoretical and methodological advantages to exploring athlete autobiographies from a story analyst approach in narrative inquiry transcend the aforementioned concerns This is the case when one considers that the public readily consumes these rich and evocative stories, which constitutes a cultural phenomenon worthy of study (Pipkin, 2008; Sparkes & Stewart, 2016; Stewart, 2011). In light of the theoretical, analytical and pedagogical potential of autobiographies, CSP researchers interested in identity and social change through providing space for people to tell and witness stories, have much to gain by studying athlete autobiographies grounded in narrative inquiry
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