title: 'Cripping' care in disability sport: an autoethnographic study of a highly impaired high-performance athlete

authors: Lowry, Amanda

subjects: Social Sciences

abstract: In this article we combine the fields of critical disability studies and the sociology of sport to disrupt and extend current understandings of athlete welfare and care. A focus on athlete welfare is producing heightened awareness of the need for institutional, structural and personal support for athletes. Notions of ‘care’ are proliferating in sport discourse, with sport organisations routinely described as having a ‘duty of care’ towards athletes. In high performance disability sport, however, the provision and arrangement of care is often based on a view of the disabled athlete as high functioning, autonomous and independent. This perspective is further complicated when considering the provision of care for people with high support needs. Drawing on cripistemology, we argue that a politics of knowledge confirms a certain squeamishness around care practices and care knowledge in disability sport. One of us – a high performance, highly impaired athlete in Aotearoa New Zealand, offers an autoethnographic account of her experiences of training and competing, illustrating the embodied and intimate care needed for her continued engagement in high performance sporting practices. In keeping with wider calls in critical disability studies to bring the study of the body and therefore impairment back into disability discourse, we offer this personal narrative to ‘crip’ care knowledge, focusing on the materiality of bodies as they intersect with sport. Finally, we argue that sport scholars, practitioners and governing bodies must consider the embodied care politics of disabled athletes in order to deepen understandings of impairment, inequalities, and social inclusion.

text: 'Cripping' care in disability sport: an autoethnographic study of a highly impaired high-performance athlete In this article we combine the fields of critical disability studies and the sociology of sport to disrupt and extend current understandings of athlete welfare and care. A focus on athlete welfare is producing heightened awareness of the need for institutional, structural and personal support for athletes. Notions of ‘care’ are proliferating in sport discourse, with sport organisations routinely described as having a ‘duty of care’ towards athletes. In high performance disability sport, however, the provision and arrangement of care is often based on a view of the disabled athlete as high functioning, autonomous and independent. This perspective is further complicated when considering the provision of care for people with high support needs. Drawing on cripistemology, we argue that a politics of knowledge confirms a certain squeamishness around care practices and care knowledge in disability sport. One of us – a high performance, highly impaired athlete in Aotearoa New Zealand, offers an autoethnographic account of her experiences of training and competing, illustrating the embodied and intimate care needed for her continued engagement in high performance sporting practices. In keeping with wider calls in critical disability studies to bring the study of the body and therefore impairment back into disability discourse, we offer this personal narrative to ‘crip’ care knowledge, focusing on the materiality of bodies as they intersect with sport. Finally, we argue that sport scholars, practitioners and governing bodies must consider the embodied care politics of disabled athletes in order to deepen understandings of impairment, inequalities, and social inclusion.

year: 2022-02-18

title: Sexualisation: Stories of silencing and resistance

authors: Murray, Claire Karen

abstract: Sexualisation is a serious issue. This study has a particular focus on discourses which produce effects of sexualisation for women and girls from a post-structural, autoethnographic position. Theoretical and philosophical positions from Foucault, Butler, Davies, Drewery and Humphreys inform the writing. I also turn to Gavey, in my use of her theory on rape myths to examine the myriad of positions available for people to take up in regard to what constitutes as real rape (2018).

My experiences with sexualisation are storied into ten vignettes to examine some of the possible effects of these discursive positions and to document stories of resistance that have enabled and constrained me to take effective action. The vignettes are ordered to show there are a number of different experiences associated with sexualisation; from sexualising comments through to rape.

I focus the writing on discourse to consider how sex, resistance and power are inextricably linked. Drawing from theories on power, gender, discourse, positioning, resistance, repression and consent have produced a migration of identity away from positioning my(self) as victimised towards that of Justice-Doing and resistance.

Discourse analysis shows some of the effects sexualisation can produce for women and girls. I analyse how the use of particular language has been established through the ongoing production of dominant discursive positions and the effects this can produce for people within an experience. A particular focus for the analysis was to demonstrate the number of positions available to be taken up during an event and the contradictions these positions may produce.

This study presents as Justice-Doing work, because it investigates how discursive practices can produce inequitable effects for women. I argue that producing equitable, discursive positions for women to take up within heterosexual relationships can be complex due to deeply entrenched, historically founded discourses that are/have been available to be taken up by people, places and institutions.

text: Sexualisation: Stories of silencing and resistance Sexualisation is a serious issue. This study has a particular focus on discourses which produce effects of sexualisation for women and girls from a post-structural, autoethnographic position. Theoretical and philosophical positions from Foucault, Butler, Davies, Drewery and Humphreys inform the writing. I also turn to Gavey, in my use of her theory on rape myths to examine the myriad of positions available for people to take up in regard to what constitutes as real rape (2018).

My experiences with sexualisation are storied into ten vignettes to examine some of the possible effects of these discursive positions and to document stories of resistance that have enabled and constrained me to take effective action. The vignettes are ordered to show there are a number of different experiences associated with sexualisation; from sexualising comments through to rape.

I focus the writing on discourse to consider how sex, resistance and power are inextricably linked. Drawing from theories on power, gender, discourse, positioning, resistance, repression and consent have produced a migration of identity away from positioning my(self) as victimised towards that of Justice-Doing and resistance.

Discourse analysis shows some of the effects sexualisation can produce for women and girls. I analyse how the use of particular language has been established through the ongoing production of dominant discursive positions and the effects this can produce for people within an experience. A particular focus for the analysis was to demonstrate the number of positions available to be taken up during an event and the contradictions these positions may produce.

This study presents as Justice-Doing work, because it investigates how discursive practices can produce inequitable effects for women. I argue that producing equitable, discursive positions for women to take up within heterosexual relationships can be complex due to deeply entrenched, historically founded discourses that are/have been available to be taken up by people, places and institutions.

year: 2022

title: Patricia Grace's Tu: Reading the novel of indigenous insight

authors: Mahuika, Joel Rupert

subjects: Patricia

abstract: This thesis centres on Patricia Grace’s novel Tu, which is a fictional story based on historical facts, namely 1940s New Zealand and Italy, the 28th Māori Battalion and World War Two. The title of the thesis research is Patricia Grace’s Tu: Reading the novel for indigenous insight. Therefore, the major research question is what are the indigenous insights portrayed in Patricia Grace’s novel Tu?
Analysis of Grace’s Tu seeks to flesh out indigenous insights of, for example, the novel’s characters, a sense of place like land and identity, inner conflict in the form of psychological and emotional issues, trauma and many other aspects that portray Māori (the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) perspectives.

Grace’s novel Tu was produced with, among other resources, the aid of a memoir manuscript written by a 28th Māori Battalion captain, called Aku Korero. Together with Grace’s most recent and biographical book Ned and Katina: A True Love Story, are the two primary sources. Ned and Katina: A True Love Story is the journal account of a 28th Māori Battalion soldier’s experience on the island of Crete during World War Two.

Selected renowned Native American authors of fiction and non-fiction will have their stories compared with Grace’s novel to check for similarities or differences of aboriginal nations’ perspectives with those of Māori. One aspect of this thesis is to research what impacts indigenous insight may have on Māori and autochthonous American peoples’ identities and culture in countries colonised by hegemonic European settlers.

Major themes conveyed in Grace’s Tu and Ned and Katina: A True Love Story will include whānau (family) and whenua (land). Their importance to indigenous insight will be revealed in this thesis.

An interview with author, Patricia Grace, will determine what Māori perceptions she portrayed in her fictional novel. A conclusion will be formed based on evidence the data shows about indigenous insight in Grace’s Tu.

text: Patricia Grace's Tu: Reading the novel of indigenous insight This thesis centres on Patricia Grace’s novel Tu, which is a fictional story based on historical facts, namely 1940s New Zealand and Italy, the 28th Māori Battalion and World War Two. The title of the thesis research is Patricia Grace’s Tu: Reading the novel for indigenous insight. Therefore, the major research question is what are the indigenous insights portrayed in Patricia Grace’s novel Tu?
Analysis of Grace’s Tu seeks to flesh out indigenous insights of, for example, the novel’s characters, a sense of place like land and identity, inner conflict in the form of psychological and emotional issues, trauma and many other aspects that portray Māori (the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) perspectives.

Grace’s novel Tu was produced with, among other resources, the aid of a memoir manuscript written by a 28th Māori Battalion captain, called Aku Korero. Together with Grace’s most recent and biographical book Ned and Katina: A True Love Story, are the two primary sources. Ned and Katina: A True Love Story is the journal account of a 28th Māori Battalion soldier’s experience on the island of Crete during World War Two.

Selected renowned Native American authors of fiction and non-fiction will have their stories compared with Grace’s novel to check for similarities or differences of aboriginal nations’ perspectives with those of Māori. One aspect of this thesis is to research what impacts indigenous insight may have on Māori and autochthonous American peoples’ identities and culture in countries colonised by hegemonic European settlers.

Major themes conveyed in Grace’s Tu and Ned and Katina: A True Love Story will include whānau (family) and whenua (land). Their importance to indigenous insight will be revealed in this thesis.

An interview with author, Patricia Grace, will determine what Māori perceptions she portrayed in her fictional novel. A conclusion will be formed based on evidence the data shows about indigenous insight in Grace’s Tu.

year: 2015