Background and purpose In current social discourses on the body (Foucault, 1977), norms like fitness related ideals of beauty or health standards are of great importance ‒ working on one’s own body is often considered as... [ view full abstract ]
Background and purpose
In current social discourses on the body (Foucault, 1977), norms like fitness related ideals of beauty or health standards are of great importance ‒ working on one’s own body is often considered as creating identity (Shilling, 2012). In these discourses, which also infect PE on a conceptual level (Ruin, 2015), the body seems to be reduced to an object. Simultaneously, the worldwide noticeable claims for inclusion carry out demands for acceptance of bodily diversity. Recent sport-pedagogical discourses debate, how pedagogical settings can deal with diversity and individuality to promote an inclusive society (Block, Giese & Ruin, 2017). Regarding this tension field, the study asks, how the actors in contemporary PE conceptualize the body.
Methods
A qualitative research approach (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005) is followed, to reconstruct the actors’ individual constructions of the body. Structured interviews with 49 PE-teachers and 45 students in Germany provide the data basis on which to explore their perceptions. Based on inductively developed categories ‒ derived from theoretical sociological approaches (e.g. Foucault, 1977; Goffman, 1971) ‒, an evaluative, and type-building analysis (Kuckartz, 2014) was carried out.
Results
The results show that teachers understand the body mainly in an instrumental manner and thereby often focus on the learning of standardized techniques. However, also several students tend towards an instrumental interpretation, but rather orientated to socially conveyed norms like fitness related ideals of beauty. On the other side, a few teachers interpret the body in an explicitly subjective manner, primarily as a vehicle for individual experience. Similar understandings seem to be also relevant for many students, as they point out positive and negative experiences.
Conclusions
The results show, that norm-orientated ideas of body somehow seem to hinder the acceptance of diversity on different levels. Therefore, the sport-pedagogy ought to self-reflect, what is considered as “normal”.
• Physical education, policy engagement and economic liberalism , • Transformative learning and teaching in physical education and sports pedagogy
