The Status of Scholar-Activism in South Korean Sport: Challenges and Implications for Advancement

Abstract

In the current study, we aimed to explore the status of scholar-activism in the South Korean sport and the transnational relationship and solidarity for scholarly activism. Using narrative inquiry as a method, we interviewed scholar-activists in the South Korean sport field who have extensive experiences engaging in sport-based activism. Their experiences are presented in a format of narrated stories, chronologically describing their initial engagement with scholar-activism, constraints to their activist work, and suggestions for the future practice. Findings indicate that their educational background motivated their engagement in social activism work, but various sociocultural constraints in South Korean society posed notable challenges to advancing their activist agenda and scholarly career. Specifically, the ongoing conservatism and anti-progressive Confucian culture has stigmatized scholar-activism. Based on the findings, we suggest that transnational solidarity among scholar-activists and cross-field collaborations will help advance scholar-activism.