Although it is difficult to propose a one-dimensional definition of Critical Disability Studies (CDS), Meekosha and Shuttleworth’s 2009 article entitled “What’s so ‘critical’ about critical disability studies?” provided several useful guidance for understanding CDS. First, CDS rejects implicit or explicit binary understanding, including social–medical and impairment–disability. Rather, it embraces multi-dimensional and intricate understanding of oppression within disabilities without fixating on deterministic interpretations, especially those inherent in the Marxism-based social model. Additionally, arguing that aspiring emancipation and social progress is “the core of disability studies’ raison d’etre” (Meekosha & Shuttleworth, 2009, p. 55), CDS needs to be self-reflexive as well as “flexible and amenable” (Meekosha & Shuttleworth, 2009, p. 64). Consequently, CDS should be uniquely interdisciplinary while remaining theoretically and empirically eclectic.

As this new era of sport unfolds, I find myself turning my attention and fandom toward my fitness and ability to perform the activities of daily living, which I perceive to be on the wane. The wonderful thing about sports is that, like it or not, there will be outcomes and a realignment of the evolving sports landscape. Let it be one I can live in.

In order to reduce health disparities, public health treatments and policies must take into account the causal relationship between social exposures and health outcomes. It has been demonstrated that social determinants of health, including socioeconomic position, education, and access to healthcare, have a major influence on health outcomes. However, because of  confounding variables and intricate causation pathways, assessing the causal influence of these  social exposures is difficult.

Gentrification is a long contested term amongst many scholars, municipalities, political circles and social movements. As such, there is a great need to better understand what gentrification is if we are to address global sustainability challenges represented in the World Health Organization’s Sustainable Development Goals. How do we continue to improve the spaces where we live and at the same time ensure those who need these improvements the most have unrestricted access? How can the notion of gentrification be used as a planning tool rather than a political tool in everyday decision making?

The entertainment industry is currently the fastest-growing industry. Tennis has always been popular among sports enthusiasts, from making headlines in newspapers to being televised in black and white. With modern technology, the internet, and social media, watching and accessing a tennis match is only a few clicks away. The entertainment sports industry is now at an all-time high, as it can be accessed anywhere. Many popular global sports, such as soccer and basketball, compete for “fans’ money and attention” (The Economist, 2019). Sports continuously change, adapt, and develop like other fields and professions. The future of sports seems to be heading in a positive direction for the fans, but what sports will be able to continue to captivate and keep engaged millions of loyal viewers and fans globally? A strong question regarding the ongoing competition between sports is: Can tennis keep up?

Currently, male athletes are “doing sport in style.” This social phenomenon has been a slow training coming, as the soil for this flower was fertilized back in the 2010s with former NFL quarterback Cam Newton making headlines for his ostentatious, yet meticulously stylish pre- and post-game outfits. Naturally, this begs the question: so, what’s the big deal about this anyway?

From its origin, PCS has remains committed to policing the eternal crisis towards creating a physical culture (and, indeed, society) that is more equitable and just.  This commitment is more critical than ever as Donald Trump takes office for the second time.  However, to be effective, we must also take a step back to better understand the conjuncture.

On Tuesday, the 5th of November 2024, the majority of constituents in the United States of America voted to elect Donald Trump as the 47th President to (re-)reign over the nation for the coming four years. The results came as a shock to many, but was evidently a celebration for far more, or 75,169,068 to be exact. We write this Corpus–as women within the PCS research group in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland–as an attempt to reflexively respond to the results that have left us stunned.

My Master’s Thesis, “America’s Sweethearts? A Feminist Discourse Analysis of ‘Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team’,” was evidently far ahead of its time (defended May 2022). In late-June 2024, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders cracked Hollywood stardom with their hit Netflix docuseries, “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.” In this corpus, I share my critical reflections of the squad’s new show, having analyzed the cheerleaders and their old reality TV show for my thesis.

On May 15th, 2024, graduate students within the Physical Cultural Studies program at the University of Maryland served as volunteers for the Project Play Summit, hosted by the Aspen Institute Sports and Society Program in Baltimore, MD. We share our reflections on our venture beyond the books and into the “real world” of sport.