History is an important part of social justice, both concretely and conceptually. Concretely, as a topic of study, we can understand histories of oppression and institutionalization. Conceptually, we can explore processes of doing history and many ways to write/perform/embody them. We can grapple with the question what is sport history? In doing so, we can also think expansively and creatively about what sport history could be.
Interested in cultural meaning and the processes that solidify certain versions of history at the expense of others, Rita Liberti and Maureen M. Smith provide a delightfully engaging analysis of what can often be a frustrating cycle of collective memory in their monograph (Re)Presenting Wilma Rudolph. They actively reconsider what a biography is and provide an excellent study upon which we can ponder the processes of historical analysis.
By Cathryn Lucas As I discussed in my previous post, I’ve been thinking a lot about passing for my dissertation. Passing is an integral part of sport – whether it be in form of sending a ball from one teammate to another or a form of embodied cultural meaning making. While an interesting and important…
I am behind on a chapter for my dissertation. The primary documents are there, the historical & cultural contexts are there, and my first draft of analysis is there. However, it still isn’t coming together. I’ve tried coaxing it with the sweet and mellow musical stylings of Enya. I’ve tried bribing it with my Aunt’s…
By Cathryn Lucas ** This is part two of a series on embodied fitness practices. You can read the first installation here.** Runner’s World recently published a feature on Mirna Valerio. For Valerio, who writes about her experiences at Fat Girl Running, running is a practice of self-love and self-care rather than a means to…
By Cathryn Lucas I usually venture out to my favorite ethnographic research site – the local sports bar – to watch UFC fights since I don’t have the televisual or internet streaming capabilities (or the money, let’s be honest) to pay-per-view the fights. However, I moved this weekend and was knee deep in towels and…
In May, Caitlyn Jenner sat down for an interview with Diane Sawyer and was featured on the June cover of Vanity Fair. Jenner’s story, to that point, had been predictably marked by speculation and rumors of her “becoming a woman” or more crudely her “sex change.” Audiences impatiently waited for her to confirm the secret…
Sandwiched between pop culture quizzes and cat videos, fitspirational images litter the internet. These fitspirational images combine pictures of fit-looking white women clad only in short spandex shorts, sports bra, tank top, and long pony-tail with short “just do it”-type taglines to purportedly provide fitness motivation while ushering in a new era for women and their bodies. Fitspirational…
As you read this, a mixture of nerves, excitement, and celebration have blanketed Clemson, SC as more than 1,000 collegiate triathletes converge for the 2015 Collegiate Club National Championships. In addition to the high energy, these championships come with a slight name change: from the Collegiate National Championships to the Collegiate Club National Championships. The…
Here in Iowa, snow piles are melting, daffodils are peaking up through morning frost, and the daytime temperatures have hit highs so long forgotten we thought maybe spring and summer were just fables passed down from our grandmothers. This, of course, means 5k season is upon us. In the next six weeks, several dozen local…
Sport in American History 