Australian National Identity In Sport

Sports have long been very important to Australians, indispensable to both of their daily life and psyche. Australian people are enthusiastic in both participating in and watching sports. Compared with other nations, Australia pays much more attention to sports. The intense enthusiasm for sports is in close relationship with the national identity of Australia. This thesis intends to explore the tie between them.The introduction offers an overview of sports' great influences in Australia. This part begins with the definition and classification of sports. Based on the well-accepted theory of sports, the further illustration of sports' influences on Australians' daily life is conducted. Besides, sports' effects on Australian peoples' psyche is researched from three approaches: sports myths, symbols and emblems; various sports' contributions to the Australian identity; athletes as the national heroes and ideal models. Following this discussion, Australian sports' great impact on national identity is studied roughly.Chapter one explores the theory and practices concerning nationalism. Nationalism and national identity are discussed at first. The focus of this research is on the common origin, ethnicity, characteristics or cultural ties. National identity sticks to the belongingness to a certain community through these ties. Sportive nationalism emerges as the relationship between sports and national identity getting more and more closely. This chapter provides an overall theory which enables the full thesis to be written.Chapter two emphasizes the Australian characteristics demonstrated in sports. This part deals with the historical factors which account for the fostering of Australian identity. The colonial history of this land yielded a group of people with the following shared characteristics: worship of physical strength, egalitarianism and mateship. On one hand, sports are used by Australian people to consolidate these characteristics for the purpose of differentiating themselves from others. On another hand, through the popularization of these characteristics, Australian sports appeal to peoples' belongingness to a unified nation, thus becoming more and more popular in Australia.Chapter three is about Australian identity in an international context in which Australians experience a process from their inheriting British sport tradition to their...