Launch of the Physical Cultures research cluster

On the 16th June, we launched our new research cluster.

Physical Cultures brings together researchers from the Arts and Humanities, Population Health, Behavioural Medicine, Sociology, Social Policy and Sports Science. It aims to explore and promote the benefits of physical activity, exercise and sport for a twenty-first-century population through a better understanding of the factors that inhibit the adoption of physically active lifestyles. We are looking to fuse approaches and methodologies grounded in the study of cultures (including issues of age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, nationality, disability and sexual orientation and the ways in which these inform attitudes towards physical activity) with those grounded in the health sciences and social sciences, seeking to establish a new methodology that draws upon and reflects this rich interdisciplinarity. From this, and in close partnership with a range of practitioners, we hope to develop practical measures for promoting positive behaviour change.

Our launch workshop included presentations from: James Nobles (University of Bristol) who discussed the ripple-effects of community-based physical activity interventions; Nathan Cardon (University of Birmingham) who explored issues of race, technology and mobility in cycling in late 19th and early 20th century America; and Fiona Spotswood (University of Bristol) who examined how the demands of motherhood shape dispositions towards and practices of physical activity.

Rather than try to summarise the three papers and the rich discussion that followed (which explored the potential benefits of a truly interdisciplinary understanding of and approach to physical activity),  we asked graphic artist Camille Aubry to capture the key points in an image.

Please take the time to peruse this and if our work is of any interest, please get in touch.