What role do far-right and ultranationalist attitudes and structures play in organized sports? And how can sports clubs and associations address these challenges? These are the questions addressed by the research project “Mapping the Field: Croatian Far-Right Extremism and Ultranationalism in (Organized) Sports,” which is being conducted at the Institute of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at Osnabrück University. The project is funded by the German Sports Youth (dsj) within the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth (BMFSFJ) as part of the federal program “Demokratie leben” (Living Democracy).
The goal of the project is to shed light on far-right and ultranationalist attitudes, actors, and structures in organized sports and to analyze their significance for sports and club life. The focus is on Croatian right-wing extremism and ultranationalism as a specific, previously under-researched manifestation of “migrant-based” extremism in German sports.
“I am pleased to build on my research into the prevention of extremism in organized sports with this project and to expand it to include a form of extremism that has received little attention to date,” says PD Dr. habil. Enrico Michelini, principal investigator at Osnabrück University. “By linking this to previous research on Turkish extremism in sports—and, looking ahead, to further studies on forms of extremism in migrant communities—we can highlight commonalities and differences. We expect this to yield important insights and new impetus for prevention efforts in sports.”
The project will initially focus on a systematic review of the current state of research and knowledge regarding Croatian right-wing extremism and ultranationalism in sports. This will involve examining relevant actors, organizational structures, networks, and manifestations, and contextualizing them within their broader social and sports-related contexts. The results are intended to help close existing gaps in knowledge and identify starting points for further academic and practical engagement with the topic.
In addition to the academic analysis, the project pursues a practical goal: The insights gained are intended to help further develop awareness-raising, educational work, and prevention measures in sports. This is intended to strengthen democratic, inclusive, and discrimination-sensitive work with children and youth in sports clubs and associations.
Further information for the media:
Dr. Enrico Michelini, Osnabrück University
Institute of Physical Education and Sport Sciences
Enrico.michelini@uni-osnabrueck.de
