The role of the game in constructing new identity: A grounded theory study

People are stigmatize for various reasons. Similarly, practices within the traditional education system also stigmatize individuals. Methods such as gamification, personalized education, and active learning in Education 4.0, which is the education system discussed today; are in a situation that can prevent this stigmatization. Sport also includes these method. In this reason its conceptualized as Sport 4.0. In this respect, the study focused on the change that sports has made in stigmatized identities. The Symbolic Interaction approach was chosen as the appropriate point in terms of addressing the stigmatization and identity change processes and examining the subject on a micro scale. The concept of "Stigma" of Goffman was used in the study in order to help explain the process. A grounded theory has been used and its; open, axial, selective coding and story-building stages all have been carried out. The ability to carry out data collection and analysis processes simultaneously, to explain the findings with diagrams and metaphors, and thus to be able to do cultural sociology, is also an important feature of the grounded theory. The "attractiveness of the game" has been chosen as the core category as the driving force behind individuals' identity changes and their inclusion in the system. The study was carried out with people who are interested in basketball sport. In this context, the research is also a contribution to the literature of sports sociology. In the conclusion part of the study, within the framework of the findings, it was discussed how much Sport 4.0 can meet methods such as personalized learning, learning by playing. In addition, the similarity of the change in the stigmatized identities to Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of Amor Fati and cultural Japanese craft; Kintsugi, was evaluated and explained. The study was terminated by discussing its usability within the education system.