Europeans as more and less nationalistic:
the parameters of this tight-knit community 'fusion/fission' process lends itself to minor reactions between identitrons. the strength of these identities can absorb and repel each other in a diathlectic fashion. in european sport circles, local identities exist at a unique level. histories and traditions, much of related to, or at least linked to, sport, play a significant role in european culture. at the same time, history and tradition have prompted this culture to display a willingness work as a team. it is a case of the significance of individual identity (star power) being increasingly circumscribed by a consensual pursuit of a goal through negotitiation and team work. more than a mr. dressup-esque "we're all winners" approach, the dialectic of identity takes a different form in different environments. identity is contextual. sport is also contextual. each requires a contextual understanding for it to be completely understood. my identity thinking cares less and less about the context of the sport competiton. rather i view sport as competition as but one piece of the identity (re)construction process.