Seven Students and Faculty Present at 2023 North American Society for the Sociology of Sport Conference

by Lilah Drafts-Johnson

The Physical Cultural Studies research group at the University of Maryland was well-represented at this year’s annual meeting for the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) in Las Vegas, Nevada from November 9-11th. The theme of the conference this year was Raising the Stakes on Representation and current PCS students and faculty presented on topics ranging from anti-blackness in kinesiology to faux-empowerment in reality TV shows to DeLand’s assemblage theory.

Tori Justin

Tori Justin organized a session for NASSS called “(Re)presenting bodies & health in Kinesiology: Critical counterstories.” Her paper presentation, “Anti-Black in Kinesiology: Excavating Scientific Foundations” examined some of the untold origins of kinesiology as a discipline.

Shannon Scovel

Shannon Scovel, a doctoral candidate in the School of Journalism, presented her preliminary dissertation findings on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) trends that she’s noticed in the social media self-depictions of female collegiate athletes.

Lauren Nowosatka, doctoral student

Lauren Nowosatka, the PCSGSA treasurer, presented two papers at NASSS. “The Tokyo Olympics Did Not Take Place” was a valuable look into Simone Biles, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, media representation, and mental health.

Lauren Nowosatka, doctoral student

Lauren Nowosatka, the PCSGSA treasurer, presented two papers at NASSS. “The Dallas Cheerleaders: Faux Empowering the Team” contained many of the findings from Lauren’s MA thesis, in which she deconstructed the popular reality television show through an intersectional feminist lens.

Junbin Yang, doctoral student

Junbin Yang presented ideas from his MA thesis, “Moving with Manuel DeLanda and Assemblage Theory: Future or Illusion?”

Lilah Drafts-Johnson, MA Student

Lilah Drafts-Johnson, the PCSGSA Secretary, presented on the potential and limitations of gender-based violence policies within the neoliberal sporting landscape, drawing upon her experience as a GBV educator in the sport industry.

Brandon Wallace, doctoral candidate

Brandon Wallace, the PCSGSA President, previewed his proposed dissertation project, “Agents of Change: Sports and Grassroots Political Education for Black Youth,” which will examine Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp non-profit.

Dr. Shannon Jette, Associate Professor

Dr. Shannon Jette presented new ideas using Bruno Latour’s actor-network theory in her paper, “The socio-materiality of physical activity risk – 'Action at a distance' and (re)ordering risk.”

We applaud our PCS Graduate Student Association Vice-President Tori Justin, who received the Barbara Brown Outstanding Doctoral Student Paper Award. The most recent PCS alumni to win this award were Dr. Anna Posbergh and Monica Nelson, who were the doctoral and master’s award winners in 2021, respectively.

Tori Justin receive the Barbara Brown Award

When the PCS research group wasn’t attending panels and paper presentations, we enjoyed catching up with our old friends and alumni. We look forward to NASSS 2023 in New Orleans!