Transnational Adoptees' Identity, Belonging, And The Role Of Sport

This study examines how, and if, sport could influence transnational adoptees’ identity formation and sense of belonging. Transnational adoptees’ identity and belonging development is complex, dynamic, and contextual. For example, some transnational national adoptees are racialized individuals within a white society and feel a lack of belonging to either group. Three facets of identity were identified: pre-adoptive identity, the adoptee identity, and ethnic identity. Each identity facet was found to develop uniquely; a singular plot can not be used to understand the development of all the facets. Sport was found to offer transnationally adoptees a space to develop essential network connections, provide opportunities for ethnic identity exploration and cultural connection, and provide a reprieve from conflicts and tensions. However, pre-existing dynamics and social exclusion were also reproduced. The stories that emerged offer insights into how the context of sport influences transnational adoptees’ navigation of belonging and identity.