Browsing by Author "Foray, Mrs. Theresa"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Pragmatics of Female Participation in Football: Sierra Leonean Perspectives
    (RSIS International, 2026) Foray, Mrs. Theresa
    Female participation in football has received increasing attention globally; however, women in many developing football contexts continue to experience barriers that limit their participation as players, coaches, administrators, and officials. In Sierra Leone, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the factors influencing the status and level of female participation in football. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the factors that influence female participation in football in Sierra Leone, with particular focus on female players, referees, coaches, and football administrators. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 327 respondents was selected from a total population of 1,000 using Slovin’s sample size formula. The sample comprised 286 female football players and 41 female football administrators and officials, including coaches, managers, and referees. Simple random sampling was used to select female football players, while purposive sampling was employed to select female administrators, coaches, and referees. The study utilized questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions as research instruments. The instruments were validated, and reliability tests were conducted prior to data collection. The questionnaire data were cleaned, coded, and analyzed quantitatively, while interview and focus group discussion data were analyzed thematically using a qualitative approach. The response rate was 97%, and the Slovin calculation was based on a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Voices on the Pitch Language, Power and Female Football Participation in Sierra Leone
    (RSIS International, 2026) Foray, Mrs. Theresa
    Women’s participation in football has gained global recognition, yet in many developing football contexts it continues to be shaped by gender ideologies, dominant social discourses, and unequal power relations. In Sierra Leone, limited research has examined how language and discourse influence women’s experiences, identities, and participation in football. This study, Voices on the Pitch: Language, Power and Female Football Participation in Sierra Leone, investigated how discourses surrounding gender, competence, leadership, and belonging shape women’s involvement as players, coaches, referees, and administrators. The study adopted a mixed-methods design informed by Critical Discourse Analysis and feminist discourse perspectives. A total of 327 respondents were selected from female football stakeholders, comprising 286 players and 41 coaches, referees, administrators, and managers. Simple random sampling was used for players, while purposive sampling was employed for key stakeholders. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analysed thematically and through discourse analysis. The study achieved a 97% response rate, and the sample size was determined using Slovin’s formula at a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error. The findings revealed that discourse significantly shaped women’s football participation. Female footballers were represented both as symbols of empowerment and achievement and through gendered narratives that questioned their competence and legitimacy. Language functioned as both a mechanism of exclusion and a tool of resistance. The study concludes that women’s participation is influenced by the interaction of language, ideology, and institutional power, and recommends gender-responsive communication, greater female representation in decision-making, and more inclusive discourse to advance women’s football in Sierra Leone.