Structural Discrimination in Physical Education. The “Encounter” Between the (White) Norwegian Teaching Content in Physical Education Lessons and Female Students of Color's Movements and Expressions

Author:

Aasland Erik,Engelsrud Gunn

Abstract

Background: Throughout society, including in the field of sports and physical education (PE), there are extensive debates on racism and structural racism. Researchers have found that students of color experience racial stereotyping and discrimination in PE. Studies also show that PE teaching practices reflect a masculine culture, emphasizing traditional (Western) competitive male sports and physical fitness practices, while marginalizing female students of color. Simultaneously these students also negotiate, resist, and operate as visible agents within these practices. While previous research has tended toward focusing on the experiences (of discrimination) from the perspective of students of color, numerous scholars today argue for a shift in research focus from the inadequacies of the racialized “others” toward how (white) everyday pedagogical practices privilege some people, and conversely, marginalize and discriminate against students of color. We believe, however, that it is crucial to examine and direct attention toward the students who “encounter” discriminatory practices in PE.The Purpose of the Paper is Twofold: (i) To investigate what kind of movements, knowledge/skills and bodies are valued and privileged, or ignored/discriminated in teaching practices in PE. (ii) To depict the “encounter” between the teaching content in physical education lessons and the female students of color's movements and expressions.Research Design and Production of Empirical Material: Our sample consisted of institutionalized pedagogical practices enacted by four white PE teachers in an upper secondary school located in eastern Oslo, Norway. The empirical material consisted of observations and informal conversations extracted from 42 teaching lessons. Students from a great diversity of backgrounds participated in the lessons during our study. We chose a critical whiteness perspective and critical feminist theory as analytical lenses for the analyses.Findings: Strenuous exercise as a means of becoming physically fit and “healthy” was central during the PE lessons under observation. The teacher's instructions draw on healthism discourses influenced by knowledge from exercise physiology and biomechanics, which produce a normative ideal for the body and movements in PE teaching practice. The movements and expressions of female students of color did not meet the expected norm of intensity, activity and exercises from the health and sport discourses. However, we identified female students of color as competent movers when performing “their own” movements, with which they had more of a cultural connection. These students also expressed vitality, joy and social interaction. Thus, they created new movements and expressions that contrasted with the norm of working out with a high intensity level in PE lessons.Conclusion: Hegemonic “truths” about the body, physical exercise and health make teachers “blind” to the ways that institutionalized pedagogical practices in PE privilege majority ethnic white (male) students. Refusing to adhere to the institutionalized movement/exercise practices enacted by the teachers, the female students of color are competent dancers and express liveliness, spontaneity, and joy. In the future, incorporating these types of expressions to teaching practices can add value to PE.

Publisher

Frontiers Media SA

Reference48 articles.

1. The changing value of vigorous activity and the paradox of utilising exercise as punishment in physical education;Aasland;Phys. Educ. Sport Pedagogy,2017

2. The constitution of the “able” and “less able” student in physical education in Norway;Aasland;Sport, Educ. Soc,2020

3. A phenomenology of whiteness;Ahmed;Fem. Theory,2007

4. At arbeide med mysterier og sammenbrudd: Empirisk materiale som kritisk samtalepartner i teoriudvikling,;Alvesson,2005

Cited by 4 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3