The Impact of Sport on Community Development in Greater August Town, Jamaica

Jamaica has long used sports as a tool for encouraging harmony amongst its citizens. Both the state and conflict prevention practitioners have used competitive and recreational sports as an avenue to resolve conflict between warring groups, and help group members learn more about each other. In some communities, playing a sport has provided people the opportunity to cross turf and borders, share community spaces, and create opportunities for dialogue between groups. The community of Greater August Town (GAT), located in St. Andrew, Kingston, Jamaica, is an example of such a community. This paper explores insight from phenomenological research probing how football as a sport impacts development in a community.