262,368 research outputs found
Her life in movement: reflections on embodiment as a methodology
No full text1. Researching embodied sport: an introduction (Ian Wellard) 2. Post-structuralism and embodiment in sport (Håkan Larsson) 3. Bodies in the zone (Kath Woodward) 4. Embodied movements in physical education: 200 years of organising bodies in schools (Suzanne Lundvall and Peter Schantz) 5. The loneliness of the fell runner (Michael Atkinson) 6. Body as aesthetic project (Angela Pickard) 7. Isolated embodiment in the gym (Ian Wellard) 8. Embodied practices in Korfball (Laura Gubby) 9. Basketball, embodiment and the everyday (Jim Cherrington) 10. Surfing friendships and encounters in the field (Georgina Roy) 11. Being Nosey: The body as an effective but flawed tool for research (Christopher R. Matthews) 12. Researching Action Sport with a GoPro™ Camera: An embodied and emotional mobile video tale of the sea, masculinity, and men-who-surf (Clifton Evers) 13. Researching disabled sporting bodies: Reflections from an ‘able’-bodied ethnographer (James Brighton) 14. Her life in movement: reflections on embodiment as a methodology (Adesola Akinleye) 15. An overview and final thoughts (Ian Wellard
Gender and the ageing body in physical cultures: an embodied approach.
No full textTaking part in a physical or sporting activity incorporates a range of corporeal and emotional sensations that are interwoven with the individual body as well as the social context in which the experience occurs. In my attempts to explore the contrasting ways in which sport and physical activity are experienced I have incorporated a reflexive lens in order to shape the focus for empirical investigations. Much of this has been influenced by an awareness of the centrality of a body most often read through gender, sexuality and ability. However, with the physical onset of middle-age, the context of the ageing body has increasingly influenced not only my engagement, but also my interpretation of sporting experience, although this has not necessarily diminished the ways that I am able to enjoy participation.
In this paper, I explore the processes through which a physical activity is experienced, in an attempt to qualitatively account for the multitude of individual and external influences that determine whether participation is considered enjoyable, and, ultimately, worth doing again. This paper incorporates the concept of body-reflexive practices, as initially described by Connell (2005), in order to explore the notion of body reflexive pleasures (Wellard 2013) which incorporate an acknowledgment of the physiological, psychological and sociological factors which contribute to a sporting activity being considered pleasurable or not.
By adopting an embodied approach to the gendered and ageing body, the intention is to challenge many of the restricted formulations that invariably determinewho can or cannot ‘do’ sport and physical activity.
References:
Connell, R. (2005) Masculinities, Cambridge: Polity.
Wellard, I. (2013) Sport, Fun and Enjoyment: an embodied approach. London: Routledge
‘I felt like someone had a knife and they were dragging it up and down my legs’: exploring embodied experiences in adult recreational sport
No full textTaking part in a physical or sporting activity incorporates a range of corporeal and emotional sensations that are interwoven with the individual body as well as the social context in which the experience occurs. This paper explores the complexity of embodied pleasure within the context of adult recreational sport participation. Drawing upon empirical research in the form of sporting life histories conducted with adults, accounts of pleasure and pain are explored in detail so as to provide a deeper understanding of the pathway to, as well as experience of, in this case, swimming and running. Here, participation is primarily a voluntary decision and considered in the light of previous (non) sporting experiences at school and as young adults. The intention is to reveal the complex processes through which a physical activity is experienced, in an attempt to qualitatively account for the multitude of individual and external influences that determine whether participation is considered enjoyable, and, ultimately, worth doing again.
Connell’s (2005) concept of body-reflexive practices which acknowledge physiological, psychological and sociological factors informs the notion of body-reflexive pleasures (Wellard 2013) which are central in determining whether sporting activity is considered pleasurable or not. Adopting an embodied approach to the adult sporting body provides a deeper understanding of the not so straight-forward patterns of physical activity experience and participation
Sporting initiatives aimed at achieving 'greater' wellbeing and participation in young people: exploring intersections and conflicts
No full textBackground:
Encouraging young people to take part in sport and physical activity is generally considered a worthwhile endeavour and a means to achieve greater wellbeing. National initiatives which attempt to coordinate activities throughout schools are often instigated through government directives with large scale investments from both public and private sectors. It is no surprise that with such high stakes, there is an expectation to achieve the 'right' outcomes.
Approach:
This paper draws upon data gathered during a series of case study visits to schools as part of a larger evaluation of the government sponsored Change 4 Life School Sports Club programme implemented in England in 2010. The programme was aimed at 'non-sporty' young people and offered schools assistance with running one of seven specific sports. In particular, the focus for this paper will be a boccia session aimed at young people with a range of physical and learning disabilities. Observations were made during the sessions and interviews were conducted with the coordinators and participants. The intention is to highlight subjective experiences as a significant factor in the formulation of what is considered a worthwhile or pleasurable leisure experience (Wellard 2012) and, importantly, one that is incorporated into regular practice.
Significance:
There is still confusion about what wellbeing actually means and often claims are made in the 'interests' of others. In most cases, these are uncritical adult visions of what physical activity for young people 'should look like'. These conflicting understandings of what is 'good' for young people have direct impact upon the ways in which young people (and adults) are able to experience their bodies and explore leisure spaces.
References: Wellard, I. (2012) Body Reflexive Pleasures: exploring bodily experiences within the context of sport and physical activity, Sport, Education and Society. Vol 17 (1)
Men, ageing bodies and sport: an embodied approach
No full textTaking part in a physical or sporting activity incorporates a range of corporeal and emotional sensations that are interwoven with the individual body as well as the social context in which the experience occurs. In my attempts to explore the contrasting ways in which sport and physical activity are experienced I have incorporated a reflexive lens in order to shape the focus for empirical investigations. Much of this has been influenced by an awareness of the centrality of a body most often read through gender, sexuality and ability. However, with the physical onset of middle-age, the context of the ageing body has increasingly influenced not only my engagement, but also my interpretation of sporting experience, although this has not necessarily diminished the ways that I am able to enjoy participation.
In this paper, I explore the processes through which a physical activity is experienced, in an attempt to qualitatively account for the multitude of individual and external influences that determine whether participation is considered enjoyable, and, ultimately, worth continuing. This paper incorporates the concept of body-reflexive practices, as initially described by Connell (2005), in order to explore the notion of body reflexive pleasures (Wellard 2013) which incorporate an acknowledgment of the physiological, psychological and sociological factors which contribute to a sporting activity being considered pleasurable or not.
By adopting an embodied approach to considering men, sport and the ageing body, the intention is to challenge many of the restricted formulations that invariably determine who can or cannot ‘do’ sport and physical activity
Putting theory into practice: developing increased physical literacy in children through CrossFit and strength and conditioning activities
No full textWhile there is much research evidence to support the claims that increased physical activity is beneficial to health ( for example; Bailey et al 2005, 2009, Freedman et al 2001, Kannus 1999, Malina & Bouchard 1991, Sallis & Owen 1999, WHO 1995) there still remains a gap in terms of translating this apparent ‘knowledge’ into an everyday aspect of a significant proportion of people’s lives.
There are many social factors that are often cited which create barriers to participation (Nichols 2007, Wellard 2013)), but even when measures are introduced to remove them it is not always the case that continued engagement is guaranteed. Consequently, there still remain bridges between the shared ‘beliefs’ about the benefits of physical activity held by academic and health educator communities and the awareness of this embodied knowledge and its application among the ‘everyday’ population. Bearing the above in mind, this presentation aims to provide an opportunity to reflect upon ways in which we can attempt to promote increased physical literacy (Whitehead 2010) in children through activities that encourage recognition of an embodied self. The presentation will outline the early stages of a current investigation into the benefits of a CrossFit Kids programme for primary school aged children in England as well as provide discussion about the theoretical claims of physical literacy, CrossFit and Strength and Conditioning along with practical applications we have been developing in the programmes that we are conducting with the children. The researchers draw upon expertise in a range of disciplines, including Sociology, Physical Education, Physiology and Sports Coaching.
References
Bailey, R., Wellard, I. & Dismore, H. (2005) Girls and Physical Activities: A summary review, Education and Health, 23 (1): 3-5.
Bailey, R., Armour, K., Kirk, D., Jess, M., Pickup, I. &Sandford, R. (2009) The educational benefits claimed for physical education and school sport: an academic review. Research Papers in Education, 24(1):1-27.
Malina, R. and Bouchard, C. (1991) Growth, Maturation and Physical Activity. Champaign, US: Human Kinetics.
Freedman, D., Kettel Khan, L., Dietz, W., Srinivasan, S. and Berenson, G. (2001) Relationship of Childhood Obesity to Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in Adulthood: the Bogalusa Heart Study, Pediatrics, 108, pp. 712-718.
Kannus, P. (1999) Preventing Osteoporosis, Falls and Fractures among Elderly People. British Medical Journal, 318, pp. 205-206.
Nichols, G. (2007) Sport and Crime Reduction: the role of sports in tackling youth crime, London: Routledge.
Sallis, J. & Owen, N. (1999) Physical Activity and Behavioral Medicine. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Wellard, I. (2013) Sport, Fun and Enjoyment: an embodied approach. London: Routledge.
Whitehead, M. E. (2010) Physical Literacy: Throughout the lifecourse, London: Routledge.
World Health Organisation / Fédération Internationale De Médecine Du Sport - Committee On Physical Activity For Health (1995) Exercise for Health. Bulletin of the World Health Organisation, 73(2), pp. 135-136
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Being nosey: the body as an effective but flawed tool for research
No full textWithin this chapter I use a collection of extended data excerpts from this study as the basis from which I will think through issues connected to my time in the field and embodied research more broadly. Although the collection of data necessarily involves the body to some degree, certain settings, methodologies and questions support the generation of a more obviously tangible and explicit form of researcher embodiment. Such social spaces often provide vivid and dramatic empirical case studies from which one might explore the places occupied by the bodies of researchers (de Garis, 2000). This ‘interrogation of situatedness’ (Woodward, 2008) enables the opportunities and biases embedded within the researcher biography, body and physical capabilities to be cast in sharper relief. Attempting to appreciate the body as an effective but flawed instrument for the collection of experiences, meanings and sensations enabled us to more adequately assess the validity of claims springing from embodied research. Specifically, within this chapter, I approach this in relation to an ethnographic engagement with ‘violence’ in the form of training and sparing in boxing. The bodily experience of conducting such research – of dealing out, and being the target of, largely mimetic (Maguire, 1992) but still often ‘brutal body contact’ (Smith, 1983) – encourages us to situate the possibilities and opportunities which can accompany embodied research while also maintaining a critical eye on the relational and contextual biases which are inherent characteristics of such work
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Researching physical disability in sport: Reflections from an (able)bodied ethnographer
No full textDrawing on findings from a 4 year ethnographic study into disability sport, this chapter aims to provide empirical examples that hint at some of the difficulties I experienced when researching disabled athletes as an able bodied PhD student. Tales from the field trace my journey from a neophyte investigator to one who is perhaps more critically aware of “culture shock” (Agar, 1996), the intricacies of adopting alternative researcher roles, and ethical dilemmas of building rapport and inti(mate)ship with physically disabled research participants. Reflections are provided that emphasise the importance of taking embodied and reflexive approaches in attempting to interpret the corporeal experiences of disabled athletes. Although I recognise proclaiming empathy as an “impossible vanity” (Watson, 2009), suggestions are made (and discussions encouraged!) that ease some of the present tensions for those scholars who feel this form of research in exploitative (Oliver, 1998)
A flame inside me is ignited when I dance: Physical activity and embodied reflexive practices in young ballet dancers
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