I am a passionate soccer (football) fan, particularly of the London-based, English Premier League team, Arsenal FC. When considering topics for our “Expanding the Canon” exercise, I wanted to find something worth sharing about diversity in Europe’s top soccer leagues.
Using Google, I searched on terms such as “Diversity Europe Soccer”, and “Diversity Europe Football”. I found several articles featured on UEFA.com, which is the internet home of the governing body of European soccer. Many of these articles focused on programs and initiatives involving efforts to reduce instances of racism among fanbases. Those were interesting, but not quite what I had in mind.
I had heard it said by a commentator during a FIFA World Cup broadcast that the national teams whose squads were comprised of players who played their “club football” in Europe had an advantage. It wasn’t only because the European leagues are considered the most competitive in the world. The announcer believed it was also because of the exposure those players had to the different styles of play utilized by teams across the continent.
It was this contention which made me curious. Continuing my search, I ultimately found what I had been looking for, an academic study focused specifically on the impact of cultural diversity has on the success of European soccer clubs. The authors focus on the clubs who competed in Europe’s top competition, the UEFA Champions League, during a ten year stretch from 2003-2013. Drawing on statistics collected over that ten year period, the authors are able to prove that greater cultural diversity leads to greater success on the pitch.
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Kaplan and Donovan attempt to get the reader to consider inclusion during their daily decision making. By taking us through Kim’s day, they immediately allow the reader to see themselves in her. This is a most effective tool. Each of the different moments likely share DNA with those from the life of the reader. These vignettes prompt the reader to consider how they too have faced those decisions, and to think on what they may have done themselves.
The reveal of Kaplan and Donovan’s “project” actually comes after the story of Kim’s day concludes. Having gotten the reader to identify with Kim, and to compare their daily challenges to those she faced, the authors now name their key concepts. Again, this is quite effective, because the reader is now primed to apply those concepts to themselves. After several sections where Kim’s decisions are analyzed and alternatives suggested, the chapter concludes with several takeaways. The way the chapter is organized maximizes the potential for reader retention. Better yet, it gives the reader tools to change their behavior for the better, which was Kaplan and Donovan’s goal the entire time.
Your club Arsenal has a great manager! I am a Manchester City fan, so this should be interesting 🙂
Aaron – Can’t wait for it to start again on the 17th!
As I read the article from Kaplan and Donovan the idea of using a fictitious manager to represent the unconscious bias and insider-outsider situations didn’t seem to profound; yes, I thought storytelling seemed like a good way to explain something going on usually unaddressed, but I didn’t fully realize how personal it can be for many readers. I’ve never been in a management role in a professional setting, but the last sentence in your post resonated with me. When I read articles regarding artists I look up to, I’m quick to try and see if their personality traits align with mine at all, and I assume someone in the same position as “Kim” could do the same thing.