Ethnic Soccer Clubs in London,Canada. A Study in Assimilation

Abstract

In his 1968 study, John C. Pooley hypothesized that as a result of club policy, ethnic soccer clubs in Milwaukee inhibited the structural assimilation of members into the core society. The Milwaukee study was replicated in London, Canada with an emphasis on the characteristics of membership and membership policies within the eight ethnic soccer clubs surveyed. By utilizing Gordon's model of assimilation, the investigator attempted to measure the degree of assimilation currently existing within the various ethnic groups. By interpreting club policies and analyzing membership characteristics, some indication of the role of ethnic soccer clubs in the assimilation of its members into the core society seemed evi dent. Whereas ethnic soccer clubs in the City of Milwaukee were found to inhibit the assimilation of team members into the core society, London clubs encouraged assimilation owing to the intensely competitive nature of the league and the re sultant practice of recruiting. Despite the fact that the London soccer clubs were originally formed in order to retain a sense of their cultural identity, these clubs now promote assimilation.