Understanding the potential for esports to support social inclusion agendas

Esports’s popularity and virtual positioning have led to the creation, utilisation, and cohabitation of digital spaces by participants globally. Individuals can connect, engage, and build communities, which could potentially act as inclusive environments. Research has shown the potential of esports to provide opportunities for social interaction, bonding, and building social capital (Trepte, Reinecke, & Juechems, 2012). However, this potential must confront embedded cultures, traditions, and practices associated with competitive tribalism, online toxicity, and gender discrimination (Hayday, Collison, & Kohe, 2021). By reframing esports cultural discourse and critically engaging with traditional development practices, we believe esports has the capacity and underlying foundations to support social inclusion goals within the ‘Sport for Development and Peace’ (SDP) sector. This chapter will explore cultural practices and norms within esports spaces and identify the opportunities and challenges for esports to be used as a mechanism to support social inclusion. By applying the social inclusion framework developed by Bailey (2005, 2008), the relationship between esports and its connection with the SDP sector will be considered, in relation to its ability to support the creation of inclusive communities, the building of social capital, and the development of functional capabilities through education.