The Playing Field for Change: Exploring Football as a Social Intervention in Recovery and Reintegration

Abstract

This master’s thesis explores how organized team sports can function as tools for social reintegration and destigmatization among individuals facing substance abuse and mental health challenges. Using Newpath FC (a Swedish football-based rehabilitation program) as a case study, the research investigates how participation in sport influences identity reconstruction, social belonging, and perceived agency among marginalized adults. Drawing on Goffman’s theory of stigma (1963), Link and Phelan’s structural conceptualization of stigma (2001), and Allport’s Contact Theory (1954), the study analyzes both individual and systemic dimensions of exclusion and empowerment. A qualitative, abductive approach combined semi-structured interviews with ethnographic observation involving players, the coach, a social worker, and affiliated stakeholders. Thematic analysis reveals six interconnected themes: the stabilizing role of structure and routine; stigma as a persistent barrier to inclusion; football as a site for transformation; the power of informal social support networks; institutional and bureaucratic challenges; and the role of trust-based relationships. Findings show that while Newpath FC fosters community, routine, and identity repair, structural stigma and institutional obstacles constrain participants' full reintegration. The program offers a space where symbolic inclusion and empowerment are possible, though fragile and contingent on broader social recognition. The thesis contributes to research on sports-based social interventions by offering empirical insight into how football can promote reintegration. It also critically reflects on its limitations in challenging entrenched forms of stigma and inequality.

Popular Abstract

Can football help rebuild lives? This thesis explores how team sports, particularly football, can support individuals who have experienced addiction, mental illness, and homelessness in their journey back into society.
The study focuses on Newpath FC, a Swedish football-based rehabilitation program that brings together people who are often pushed to society’s margins. Through interviews and field observations with players, the coach, a social worker, and others connected to the program, the research uncovers what happens when individuals affected by exclusion become part of an organized, supportive team. The findings show that football offers far more than exercise. For participants, regular training provides stability, purpose, and a chance to regain self-confidence. Being part of a team helps rebuild a sense of identity and belonging, elements many have missed for years. One player described training as "a reason to get out of bed," while another said, “Here, I feel seen.” But inclusion on the pitch doesn’t guarantee acceptance off it. Despite progress, participants face barriers when applying for jobs, housing, or public services. Old labels like “addict” or “mentally ill” stick, regardless of personal growth. This ongoing stigma acts as a silent wall, preventing full reintegration.
This research shows that football can be a powerful tool for change. It creates spaces where people feel valued, recognized, and supported. However, it also makes clear that programs like Newpath FC cannot fight stigma alone. Deep-rooted prejudices and rigid institutions still limit opportunities, no matter how far someone has come. This makes the research particularly relevant for policymakers, social workers, and community organizers looking for alternative approaches to social reintegration. While sport cannot replace housing, employment, or mental health care, it can complement these efforts by offering a low-threshold entry point to structure, support, and dignity. Programs like Newpath FC remind us that recovery is not only personal but relational and social; it depends on whether society is willing to meet people where they are, rather than where we think they should be.
This research contributes to growing evidence that sport is more than play, it can be a pathway to social change. By combining personal stories with sociological theory, the study offers new insights into how everyday activities like football can promote dignity, inclusion, and hope.

• author: von Reis, Hugo
• supervisor: Charalambos Demetriou
• organization: Sociology
• course: SOCM05 20251
• year: 2025
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Social Sciences
• keywords: stigma, reintegration, empowerment, mental health, football, social inclusion, qualitative research.
• language: English
• id: 9194999
• date added to LUP: 2025-06-19 14:09:10
• date last changed: 2025-06-19 14:09:10