Each year, the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) conference showcases some of the most relevant and timely research related to the sociology of play, games and sport. This year, the society met in Vancouver from November 1st to 4th and the University of Toronto, particularly the Faculty of Physical Education and Health, was well-represented.
Several professors from the Faculty presented some of their most compelling research related to the sociology of sport.
Dean Bruce Kidd co-organized three sessions on Sport Policy and was a discussant at two sessions. Peter Donnelly introduced the keynote address and presented a workshop, “Codes of Practice – Research and Authorship.”
Caroline Fusco presented, “Healthifying PLAY (Place, Activity, Youth): Moral geographies and the new (urban) public health.” Margaret MacNeill presented her paper, “Fitting in/activity: Muslim and Indo-Canadian adolescent girls in motion” with alumnae, Nikki Kumar (BA 0T1; MSc 0T4). MacNeill also presented her paper, “Opening up the gendered gaze: Sport media and racialized gaze” with PhD student, Emma Wensing.
Eight PhD students, one MSc student and an OISE student also participated in the conference. Simon Darnell presented his paper, “International development and the sociology of sport: Exploring a new research agenda.” Russell Field presented, “Living in the spaces of sport: Theorizing the historical spectator.”
Janelle Joseph, MSc student, Sabrina Razack and OISE student, Tammy George presented their paper, “Head-butting controversy: Zinedine Zidane and the 2006 World Cup.” Joseph also presented, “Movement across real/imagined borders: Converging transnational and sport studies.”
Yuka Nakamura, presented, “Disentangling Asian/American from Asian and American” and chaired a session at the conference.
Ted Norman presented, “‘Fifty-Cent, he’s normal like you an’ me:’ Fatness and young men’s construction of self and other.” Cassandra Wells presented her paper, “US athletic scholarships and the ‘Canadian scholar athlete’: Constructing an identity through social/symbolic capital.” Kyoung-yim Kim presented, “Athletic intruders?: Global sportization and Korean players on the LPGA Tour.”
Several accomplished U of T alumni also contributed at the conference. Peter Donnelly and York University assistant professor, Parissa Safai (MSc 0T1; PhD 0T5) presented, “Expect the unexpected: Selling safety.”
University of Windsor assistant professor, Jay Johnson (B.Ed 1994; MSc 2000) presented his paper, “Waiting in the liminal: The homophobic homoerotic paradox of sport rites of passage.” Parissa Safai (MSc 2001; PhD 0T5) also organized and chaired three sessions on sports medicine.
While in Vancouver, Bruce Kidd, Peter Donnelly and graduate student, Marc St.-Aubin also attended a pre-conference symposium on the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The symposium, “Thinking through the Games: Legacies, Communities and Inclusion,” was held at the University of British Columbia on November 1. Kidd also gave a presentation, “Advancing social justice through the Olympic movement.”
SCAPPS Annual Conference
Meanwhile, other members of the Faculty were also busy November 1st to 4th in Halifax, at the annual conference of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology (SCAPPS).
SCAPPS is a national organization that promotes the study of motor control, motor learning, motor development and sport psychology. The organization encourages the exchange of views and scientific information in fields related to psychomotor learning and sport psychology.
Papers presented at this conference included:
Banerjee, A., Singh, N., & Gupta, M. Risk Factors, Compliance, and Exercise Outcomes of South Asians Enrolled in Cardiac Rehabilitation.
Faulkner, G., Adlaf, E., Irving, H., Allison, K., Dwyer, J., & Goodman, J. (2006). Participation in School Physical Education? Ontario, Canada 1999-2005.
Flora, P. & Faulkner, G. (2006). Developing the Case for Intergenerational Physical Activity: A Qualitative Study.
Moola, F., Faulkner, G., Kilburn, J., & Kirsh, J. (2006). Beliefs and Attitudes Towards Sport in Youth with Complex Cardiac Conditions.
Mourton, S.J., Khan, M.A., Tremblay, L., Cheng, D., & Luis, M. (2006). Time course of element integration in two-target reversal movements.
Scerbo, F. & Faulkner, G. (2006). Effects of acute physical activity on cravings and free recall memory in abstinent smokers.
The society announced that the Faculty of Physical Education and Health has been selected to host the 2009 SCAPPS conference. The event will be organized by Luc Tremblay and Guy Faulkner.