‘When we meet, we play football, it reminds me of home': emotions, institutional work, and sport-for-development and peace

Research question: While there is a growing body of scholarship on institutional work in sport, less is known about the role of emotions by which institutions are affected. This study aims to explore the role of emotions in sport-for-development and peace (SDP)-related institutional work to challenge conditions of social inequality for refugees in Kampala, Uganda. Two core research questions are: (1) How do emotions related to forced displacement inform the institutional work of an SDP organization? (2) What emotions are mobilized by refugees and an SDP organization to challenge the institution of social inequality? Research methods: Guided by a participatory action research approach, fieldwork was undertaken with a refugee-led organization in Kampala. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, photovoice, and photocollaging. Ethical consent was obtained from all individuals participating in the research and for the display of images. Results and Findings: The findings demonstrate that a variety of emotions experienced as positive (e.g. love of sport) or negative (e.g. stress) stimulate SDP-related work to change relations between host communities and refugees. The findings also illustrate that emotions experienced positively (e.g. nostalgia, happiness) were generated via SDP activities, including creation of sport groups related to homelands and conflict resolution among refugees and host communities. Three mechanisms–diverting, bonding, peacemaking–are identified that enabled SDP-related practices to transform refugees’ emotions. The resulting positive emotional state helped to undermine the institution of social inequality between the host community and refugees. Implications: This study advances theoretical development of institutional theory in sport management by accounting for the lived experience and emotions that play a role in SDP-related institutional work.