CFP: 3rd International Qualitative Conference in Sport and Exercise

‘Communicating Experiences’

3rd International Qualitative Conference in Sport and Exercise, 10-12 June 2009

Hosted by the Centre for Scientific and Cultural Research in Sport at Roehampton University, London, UK

Conference website:

http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/communicatingexperiences/index.html


Qualitative research in sport and exercise is increasingly committed to finding ways of communicating the dynamic, embodied, nature of sport and physical activity. Such approaches are central to understanding the complexity of sporting experiences; promoting physical activity for therapeutic gain; enhancing performance in sport; engaging with social inclusion/exclusion initiatives; encouraging care of the athlete; building sustainable communities; and developing effective approaches to leadership and sport development.



This ‘Communicating Experiences’ Conference will build on the cross-disciplinary, innovative and sometimes challenging work presented at past conferences, and provide spaces to reflect and communicate means of refining our methods, and to explore and propose new ways of investigating and representing our social worlds.



This conference aims to be truly multi-disciplinary and provides an excellent opportunity for those from different academic and practitioner communities to share and discuss their experiences of conducting qualitative research and/or working in sport, exercise and physical activity. Attendance and contributions are welcome from experienced and neophyte practitioners and academics in any relevant field including sport psychology, sport sociology, sport and health development, movement therapy, physical education, community and youth work, coaching, drama, music, creative writing, and journalism among others.



We welcome abstracts on any relevant qualitative topics including those that address one or more of the conference themes:



* Performance, Movement and Embodiment
* Inter-Sensory Experience
* Reflecting on Methodologies
* Working with Experience(s)…
* Care of the Athlete
* Identity, Narratives and Memories



Abstracts should be submitted by 26th January 2009, although earlier submission is highly recommended as a high number of submissions is anticipated. Abstracts can be submitted for one of three forms of presentation. Please state which form of presentation clearly on the covering letter:



* oral presentations (15 minutes plus 5 minutes for questions). Both traditional and non-traditional forms of presentation, eg autobiographies, poetry, are welcome
* poster presentations (presenters must be available to present/discuss their poster)
* symposium presentations (1½ hours including time for questions): symposia are organised by a Chair and present four papers by different authors on a particular topic of interest. Please email the Conference Chair Caroline Marlow (email: C.Marlow@Roehampton.ac.uk) if you wish to discuss an idea for a symposium prior to submission. The Chair should submit the four symposium abstracts all together with an overview of the symposium theme. Symposia will be reviewed following the submission deadline to prevent replication of themes. The Symposium Chair will be informed of the outcome by the end of January.



Please send abstracts of 300 words electronically as a Word document in accordance with the following guidelines to the Conference Administrator, Indaka Weerasekera, E-mail: I.Weerasekera@roehampton.ac.uk.