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Socio-Cultural and Policy Studies in Sport and Physical Activity Faculty of Health

Socio-Cultural and Policy Studies in Sport & Physical Activity

Advancing Equitable Physical Culture and Health

Photo by Diogo Nunes on Unsplash

Who We Are

Based out of the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University, we are scholars committed to advancing equitable physical culture and health in an unequal world with communities allied in social struggle.   

Our work is decolonial, feminist, anti-racist, and intersectional in approach. We seek collective inquiry and concrete social action committed to sustainable and healthier communities.

As teachers and researchers, we hold ourselves accountable to the people with whom we work. As such, we aim to be translatable beyond the classroom, and to broadly inspire positive social change. 

What We Mean by Physical Culture and Health

We employ ‘physical culture’ as a shorthand for the range of ways in which humans move. This could include, but is not limited to: sport, physical activity, exercise, leisure, and play. We understand health as the physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of individuals, groups, communities, and the planet.

Our Goals

  1. To support and empower our students throughout their learning journeys. We are mindful of how they arrive at York, of what they experience while in their studies, and the power relations they navigate.
  2. To conduct innovative and accessible research that critiques systems of oppression. We respect ethical knowledge production, and value reciprocity and mutual respect in the relationships we build with others throughout the research process.
  3. To build and bridge with communities within and beyond the university. We are allied with others in social struggle and social justice.
  4. To model compassionate and empathetic connection with others through transparency, communication, and listening.

Allies in Social Justice and Positive Change

We recognize that many Indigenous Nations have longstanding relationships with the territories upon which York University campuses are located that precede the establishment of York University. York University acknowledges its presence on the traditional territory of many Indigenous Nations. The area known as Tkaronto [Tig-ar-on-toe] has been care taken by the Anishinabek [Nish-na-bek] Nation, the Haudenosaunee [Ho-dee-no-sho-nee] Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat. It is now home to many First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities. We acknowledge the current treaty holders, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. This territory is subject of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the Great Lakes region.