Conference Agenda

Research that looks at practices of discrimination that produce inequalities in Physical Education (PE) has seemingly led to little sustainable change. PE teachers continue to struggle with social inclusion, and in particular, with contradictory discourses about gender, health, ability, ethnicity, religion, and sexuality. In this paper we argue for a shift in focus that expands understandings of these complex issues. Instead of focusing on the practices that (re)produce discrimination, research needs to ask other questions based on the ubiquity of discriminatory practices in the PE context. Discriminatory practices occur via mechanisms that need to be understood if change is to occur. To understand possibilities for change, this research focuses on discriminatory mechanisms and explores how the educational context of PE may contribute to this.

1. What is the role of discriminatory mechanisms and conditions in the persistence of inequalities in PE?

Inclusion studies in education and other domains often frame the notion of practices of inclusion as the answer to the ensuring of equitable outcomes for all (e.g., Adamson et al. 2021; Penney et al., 2018) and of it being a moral obligation to soften the current increase in social inequalities and precarity (Tyler, 2019). The term inclusion seems to have replaced an emphasis on notions of discrimination (Adamson, et al. 2021). How conditions of life are described or captured by words matter, however (Butler, 2021). Doing inclusion is presumed to be a good and positive concept (Adamson et al., 2021; Butler, 2021); consequently, inclusion has become an important project in education, while persistent social inequalities remain unchallenged (Van Doodewaard, 2022). We argue that research needs to explore these constructs of inclusion and how their use may contribute to a culture that implicitly condones discriminatory practices using denial and inaction. Various studies also suggest some teachers engage in discriminatory practices by drawing on hegemonic sport, health and citizenship discourses and/or on managerial professionalism discourses to resist change (Sachs, 2016). More needs to be known about the reasons for doing so.

2. Is the PE context a unique field?

PE is a unique field in education, as it is one of the few subjects that centers on public bodily performances (Aartun et al, 2022). Its uniqueness is also based on its close ties with the sport context. Sport participation is shaped along formal hierarchical binaries based on gender and ableism that, for instance, tend to value men and men’s sport more than women and women’s sport (Metcalfe, 2018), and abled sport and abled athletes, more than para sport and differently abled athletes (Grenier & Giese, 2022). Little is known about how these connections between school and societal practices sustain or shape discriminatory mechanisms in PE. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to explore how hierarchical binaries in sport and in education may infiltrate and shape discriminatory dynamics of PE.

We subsequently, briefly discuss several possibilities as well as their limitations for dismantling discriminatory mechanisms through transformative practices (Biesta (2019), Lynch et al., 2022; Quennerstedt, 2019). These possibilities include disrupting the use of critical performativity (Blackshear, 2022; Grenier & Giese, 2022) and the use of third space (Forgasz, et al. Soja, 2009).

An increased concern for children and young people's lack of physical activity (PA) worldwide has made societies take measures in order to counteract the development. The education system, schools and especially the school subject physical education (PE) have in many countries been identified as an arena for improving physical activity among children and youth. This is the case also in Sweden. In 2003 the Swedish government introduced and added guidelines concerning "daily physical activity" (DPA) in the national curriculum for compulsory schools. This means that the school should offer PA during the school day in addition to the subject PE(H) for all students between ages 6 and 16 (1).

Research on PA has mainly focused on interventions among children in elementary school (2) and the effects on PA in relation to gender, body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic status, psychological well-being, time spent in relation to screen (see e.g.2-4). To date, less attention has been paid to students with disability or in need of special education. Even if there are some studies concerning BMI, inactivity and their need of physical activity, few studies address how schools approaches the possibilities to be physical active during the school day. Offering students daily PA seems to be a hard nut to crack for schools, especially at secondary level. Also, less attention on PA in schools have been paid to students with invisible’ disabilities such as students with diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (see e.g.5-6).

In addition, research shows that children with NDD less often participate in sports and physical activity during their free time. Moreover, research shows that participation in organizes physical activities can lead to more participation in other everyday life contexts for these students (7). Based on insights from scholars about inclusion and school development grounded on a learning organisational perspective, the overall aim of this study is to increase the understanding of opportunities and challenges of the school’s task to organize “daily physical activity” in a school with students with NDD. The research questions are: What characterize the needs of the students concerning PA during the school day? What facilitators and barriers are there according to staff and students for PA during the school day? The analysis and results will be discussed from a school perspective, how PA can be made possible for students with special needs.

To achieve the purpose of this project employs a qualitative methodology based on interviews, observations and fieldnotes. The choice of design is related to a view of knowledge as constructed and subjectively experienced (8). This means that through interviews, observations and fieldnotes researchers will provide detailed descriptions of people, behaviours, and cultures in their ordinary environment. With a sociocultural perspective, the individual and the environment are understood as mutually constructed (9). Both students and staff act consciously or unconsciously based on the experiences they have of what is needed in different situations (9).

Conditions for the students to be physically active and being involved and included are created by the school staff in the context in which the students and staff cooperate (9). To listen to the experiences of the students and staff means not only to get a view of formal decisions but also in informal everyday lives (9). The sociocultural perspective where human actions are in focus for understanding of organisational opportunities and challenges to be physically active is an important part in this study.