Developing sport in a developing nation: Gendered challenges and considerations

Abstract

This chapter aims to summarize the experiences of a six-month project which introduced the sport of rowing, and its associated international competitions, to the Maldives. The experiences discussed here are based on observations and interpretations of cultural differences and norms, in both sporting and non-sporting contexts. Using autoethnographic research, I analyzed the requirements of introducing a "Westernized" practice into a non-Western culture, also highlighting the wider cultural differences and similarities. To assist this analysis, I adopted Anderson's (Inclusive masculinity: The changing nature of masculinities. New York: Routledge, 2009) Inclusive Masculinity Theory; in particular, his reference to the pace of change within Western cultures to identify if this applies within a different cultural setting. This enabled the analysis of people's behavior, their approaches to a new pastime, presentations of self, masculinity, gendered behaviors, and wider cultural obligations. This analysis enabled a unique comparative study of two different cultures, and the ambition to implement a Westernized sport into the Maldivian way of life.