Transdisciplinary sport: The promise and politics of navigating research boundaries

Drawing upon her learnings from a transdisciplinary project on elite sportswomen’s health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand, Prof Thorpe will illustrate how engaging with new materialist theorising encouraged a rethinking of transdisciplinary research.

Working with Karen Barad’s agential realism over many years surfaced new insights into the various intra-actions and practices that reproduce disciplinary boundaries, which ultimately allowed for more productive transdisciplinary work with sport scientists, doctors, nutritionists and other sport and health professionals.

She concludes by discussing the political and practical value of such approaches for scholars committed to improving the opportunities and experiences of those within elite sporting cultures, as well as for those working in multi-disciplinary departments focused on teaching and researching sport, exercise and physical culture.

Professor Holly Thorpe is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Her research interests include informal and action sports, youth culture, gender, women’s health and wellbeing, and sport for development and recovery.

She embraces opportunities to work across disciplines and is passionate about exploring social theories and methods that are responsive to the changing world around us. Driven to do research that has real world impact, Professor Thorpe has worked closely with an array of international and national sports organizations (e.g., International Olympic Committee, High Performance Sport New Zealand, Sport New Zealand, Skateistan) to inform new practices, processes, and policy development.

The talk will be recorded and made available after the event. Refreshments will be provided.