The award recognizes her research titled “A Sociological Approach from Sport to Community Social Capital in Vulnerable Neighborhoods. The Case of Colonia Requena in Alicante”. The award was presented by the Director General of Sport of the Generalitat Valenciana, Luis Cervera Torres, and the Vice-Rector for Coexistence and Well-being at UPV, Santiago Guillem Picó, at an event held in Valencia.
The project, defended in 2024 under the supervision of Liberto Carratalá Puertas, a professor in the Department of Sociology I at UA, received the highest grade, a 10 with honors. It had also previously won an award from the Germán Bernácer Chair at UA.
The study analyzes the role of sport in generating community social capital in Colonia Requena, a neighborhood in Alicante characterized by social vulnerability and ethnic diversity. Based on primary data collected on the ground, the research uses a structural equation model to examine the relationship between sports practice, associated values, and the construction of the social fabric.
Key findings highlight the positive influence of community social capital on participation in collective sports activities and the formation of a shared identity. Social cohesion and individual autonomy, linked to sports values, further strengthen these community dynamics.
The research also indicates a feedback loop: increased group sports participation fosters neighborly bonds and a sense of belonging, while a stronger community creates new opportunities for collective engagement.
The results provide evidence of sport's capacity to contribute to social intervention and community cohesion in vulnerable environments, offering analytical tools for public administrations, social entities, and sports organizations working in these contexts.
