Sport and other interesting things about young people and "Australian Identity"

Purdie and Wilss (2007) is a very useful article that looks at how young people conceive what being "Australian" means.  They also touch on the issues of "mateship", Anzacs, and how this links into sport.  Purdie and Wilss reference a study by Philips and Smith (2000) and note that "ideas focusing on the conquering of fear, sport, strength of character and achievement, and physical prowess" are still identified as being part of the "Australian" identity of today. (p.69). Purdie and Wilss (2007) also note that studies on what younger people think "being Australian" means are rare. (p.79)

A stereotypical image of an Australian child? Source (as at 23 October 2010):

http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/kids/schooling/lets-demonstrate-a-little-class-and-give-every-child-a-fair-go-20091210-kkq6.html

Purdie and Wilss completed a study on adolescents (there doesn't seem to be any known research on children younger than 11 years on this topic), where they were asked to write a short essay on what it means to be "Australian". Nine themes emerged and they included:

• "national well-being (security, prosperity); 
• personal well-being (safety, health, education); 
• democracy; agreeableness of personal characteristics (e.g., friendly, kind, fair); 
• uniqueness and diversity of environment (landscape, animals, weather, conservation); 
• sporting prowess; 
• rules of citizenship (birth, living here, citizenship, pride, language); 
• diversity (cultural, other);
• and lifestyle" (p.72)

As noted by Purdie and Wilss, there was an emphasis by the students on Australia being a 'safe' place. They also commented that:

"Traditional views of an Australian identity exhibited by students in this study included a focus on sport and a leisurely lifestyle often linked with the outdoors and sunshine.".

This photo below is a good illustration perhaps of what this means.  This photo shows the crowds of happy Collingwood supporters, plus the captain and coach of the team, after winning the AFL Grand Final Premiership on Sunday October 3, 2010.

Source (as at 4 October, 2010): http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-grand-final-winners-collingwood-looking-forward-to-proud-new-chapter/story-e6frf9jf-1225933306124

Of interest to Purdie and Wilss was that there were no themes coming through from the adolescents that related "Australian" identity to achievements in science, the arts of other intellectual pursuits.