Our research spans the fields of the sociology of sport and critical disabilities studies. Using qualitative and participatory research methodologies, we explore the intersections of sport, physical activity, health, disability and social inclusion/exclusion.
Welcome and we hope you enjoy learning more about the work we do!
– Andrea Bundon, PhD
Current Projects
Women in Paralympic Sport: Past, Present and Future
Women have been part of the Paralympic Movement since the first sports games for the disabled were held at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 1948. Historically, there are many examples of women taking on central roles in the movement as athletes, coaches, policy-makers and ambassadors. Yet there are growing concerns that women’s progress in all roles within disability sport is in decline. This project, funded by an Insight Development Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) explores the involvement of women in Paralympic sport in the past, present and future.
Recruiting: Yes
Research Team: Andrea Bundon, David Howe (Loughborough University), Nikolaus Dean, Natalie Scadden
Barriers and Facilitators Encountered by Canadians with Disabilities when Pursuing Sport Coaching Opportunities
A key element of the integration of para-sport within the mainstream Canadian sport system included ensuring that coaches were in place to support para-athletes. Accordingly, in recent years, the Coaching Association of Canada has worked with National Sport Organizations to develop and implement training models and other resources specific to coaches working with para-athletes. However, a significant deficit in these approaches is an assumption that the coaches themselves are able-bodied. This research explores the experiences of people with disabilities who pursue coach training and certification. This work is funded by a Hampton New Faculty Research Grant (UBC).
Recruiting: Yes – please click here for more information.
Research Team: Andrea Bundon, Natalie Scadden
Level the Field: Disability Inclusion in the BC Sport Sector
In partnership with viaSport BC, the School of Kinesiology and UBC Recreation, this project explores the inclusion/exclusion of people with disabilities in the BC sport sector. Over three years, the research team will be engaging with communities of people with disabilities to gain their insights into what is needed to make sport inclusive. We will simultaneously be working with sport organizations province-wide to understand how they currently engage people with disabilities in their organizations and programs and what they need to adopt more inclusive policies and practices.
Recruiting: No
Research Team: Andrea Bundon, Shawna Lawson (viaSport BC), Caitlin Pentifallo Gadd (viaSport BC), Andrew Hammond, Tim Konoval, Joseph O’Rourke, Ljudmila Zaletelj
Past Team Members: Erica Bennett, Amy McDonald
Disability in the Gym: Perceptions and Understandings About Individuals with Disabilities
We are interested in learning about how personal trainers understand disability and individuals with disabilities. Findings from this study will allow us to gain valuable insight into the way(s) that disability and individuals with disabilities are understood within the gym environment. Moreover, findings from this study will further our understandings of disability within this sporting context and will serve as an important step in creating a more inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities.
Recruiting: Yes – if you are interested in participating in the study, or would like more information, please email or call Milly at: milly.zaletelj@ubc.ca or 1-778-680-8134. Thank you!
Research Team: Andrea Bundon, Ljudmila Zaletelj
Completed Projects
People with Disabilities and Employment in the Fitness Industry
This research will provide novel insights into the barriers and incentives that people with disabilities encounter when pursuing fitness industry employment opportunities. This project will include people with disabilities who are interested in working or currently working in the fitness industry. The aims of the research are (1) to identify the barriers and facilitators that people with disabilities encounter when pursuing fitness industry employment opportunities; (2) to develop recommendations for how to make a gym or fitness studio accessible to and inclusive of fitness professionals with disabilities; and (3) to identify how clients (with or without disabilities) respond to fitness professionals with disabilities.
Research Team: Andrea Bundon, Joseph O'Rourke
Developing an International Consensus Statement on Wheelchair Basketball Rules for Inclusion in the Commonwealth Games 2022
Photo credit Canadian Paralympic Committee
Currently wheelchair basketball is a 5 versus 5 sport, however, the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) are keen to explore alternative game formats for inclusion in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The purpose of this research is to develop research evidence to support the decision regarding which game format to adopt for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. This includes soliciting input from athletes, coaches and sport officials currently involved in the sport at an elite and international level.
Research Team: Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey (Loughborough University), Marry Mason (Loughborough University), Andrea Bundon, Zeina Elkarsh
Para-Athlete Retirement: Insights, Support, Management (Project PRISM)
[Project PRISM update] – Project PRISM is now complete. A big thank you to all the para-athletes who generously shared their stories and experiences with us. You provided the EIS PL team with a wealth of information that will be used to inform their practices and support future para-athletes as they transition out of sport. Below is a link to a visual summary of (some!) of the findings from the research.
PRISM Summary (Final copy)
Athletes retire from sport for a number of reasons. Some leave sport having achieved their goals and ready to pursue new opportunities. Others have ‘unplanned’ retirements due to injury or deselection from the team. Whatever the reason, the Performance Lifestyle Practitioners at the English Institute of Sport endeavour to support athletes in their transition ‘out of sport.’ A key aspect of supporting athletes in their transitional journey involves exploring ‘what is next’ and assisting athletes to consider all the opportunities available to them. Project PRISM engages with retired para-athletes seeking to learn more about their transitions out of sport so that their knowledge and experiences might be used to benefit those para-athletes still in sport. This work is funded by the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport and the English Institute of Sport.
‘Are We Inspired Yet?’ Digital Stories by Young People about Sport and Disability
The motto of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games was Inspire a generation. In fact, it is frequently claimed that a key reason for hosting major sports events is so that young people will be ‘inspired’ by the performances of elite athletes. This project involves working collaboratively with schools, sports and recreation associations and national organizations to host workshops where young disabled people create digital stories related to their experiences of sport and physical activity. These stories will make a unique contribution to the growing body of research documenting the less tangible, non-economic outcomes of hosting mega-sport events and are intended to shape policies and initiatives in the area of inclusive physical activity programming.
This research was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada and is based out of the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport at Loughborough University (UK).
Graduate Student Projects
Silence on ‘The Break’: Exploring Concussion in Canada’s West Coast Surf Culture
Over the last decade a plethora of research has emerged that has explored the relationship between sport and sport-related concussion. This research has predominantly focused on participants of “traditional,” “mainstream” sports such as soccer, rugby, hockey, and football, and has neglected the voices of participants from “alternative” sports such as surfing— even though research has shown that head injury and concussion rates are quite significant within the sport. The purpose of this research project is to explore how male and female surfers from the West Coast of Canada understand the complex brain injury, concussion. By drawing upon the surfers’ understandings of the brain injury, we hope to highlight how concussion can be further understood within a socio-cultural context, and hope to add to the growing body of literature that has explored concussion from a sociological lens.
Recruiting: No
Research Team: Andrea Bundon, Nikolaus Dean
Research Team
Andrea Bundon, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education
As an Assistant Professor at UBC in the School of Kinesiology since January 2016, I carry out research in the area of people with disabilities and sport participation. As a critical disabilities scholar, I am committed to work that challenges ableism in the sport sector and that promotes more inclusive practices.
Visit my School of Kinesiology Profile Page here.
View my Curriculum Vitae (Bundon – CV).
Andrew Hammond, PhD
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
I research policy, politics and governance in the areas of sport, disability and education at the School of Kinesiology at UBC. I draw primarily on historical and sociological perspectives to inform my work. I completed my PhD at Monash University (Australia) where my study focused on the relationship between disability and inclusion social policy and sports coaching practices in Australian Swimming. In partnership with viaSport, I am presently working with Dr Bundon as a Postdoctoral Research fellow on a SSHRC funded research project (Level the Field) that aims to improve the inclusive provision of sporting opportunities for British Columbians who have a disability through the development of evidence-informed policy and practice.
Current projects: Level the Field: Disability Inclusion in the BC Sport Sector
Research interests: policy, politics and governance in the areas of sport, disability and education.
Nikolaus Dean
Research Assistant / Graduate Student
Program:
Master of Arts (UBC School of Kinesiology)
Current projects:
Women in Paralympic Sport: Past, Present and Future
Silence on ‘The Break’: Exploring Concussion in Canada’s West Coast Surf Culture
Past projects:
Mobile Methods For Researching Bodies in Motion seminar series
Research interests: sociology of sport, concussions, lifestyle sport, sport and subcultures, injury, risk, gender.
Sarah Elizabeth Pender Smith
Graduate Student
Program: Master of Kinesiology (UBC School of Kinesiology); M.S. Anthropology (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 2014)
Research interests: Agency and performance in human movement studies, socialness and biomechanics of weapons use and combat, embodiment theory in the analysis of human remains
Ljudmila (Milly) Zaletelj
Research Assistant / Graduate Student
Program:
Bachelor of Kinesiology (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Master of Arts (School of Kinesiology)
Current projects: Level the Field: Disability Inclusion in the BC Sport Sector
Disability in the Gym: Perceptions and Understandings About Individuals with Disabilities
Research interests:
disability, disability sport, physical in(activity), inclusion, gender
Natalie Scadden
Research Assistant
Program: Bachelor of Kinesiology (UBC, 2015)
Current projects:
Women in Paralympic Sport: Past, Present and Future
Barriers and Facilitators Encountered by Canadians with Disabilities when Pursuing Sport Coaching Opportunities
Research interests: sports media/journalism, women’s sports, inclusion, socio-cultural sport studies.
Joseph O’Rourke
Research Assistant
Joseph was at UBC’s School of Kinesiology during summer 2017 from Brisbane, Australia on a Mitacs Globalink Research Internship. Since finishing his degree, he has returned to Vancouver and continues to work on a project in collaboration with Dr. Bundon. You can view his LinkedIn profile here.
Program: Bachelor of Business – Sport Management/Marketing (Griffith University, Australia)
Current projects: Level the Field: Disability Inclusion in the BC Sport Sector
Past projects: People with Disabilities and Employment in the Fitness Industry
Research interests: elite athletes, lifestyle sports, high performance sport, sport and subcultures, sociology of sport.
Krystn Orr
Research Assistant
Program: PhD Candidate (University of Toronto); Visiting scholar (UBC, summer 2018)
Current projects: Community Physical Activity Program and Transition Experiences of Adults with Physical Disabilities
Research interests: Recreational sport, physical activity, and disability; Peer interactions and dynamics; Program evaluation
Twitter: @krystnorr
Tim Konoval
Research Assistant
During my PhD studies at the University of Alberta, I used qualitative methods to examine the impact that social science knowledge can have within a high performance sport team. Specifically, I worked with a coach to help him change a number of his practices to be more informed by Foucault’s knowledge.Program: PhD Candidate (University of Alberta, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation)
Current projects: Level the Field: Disability Inclusion in the BC Sport Sector
Research interests: Sport Inclusion; Coaching; Systems Change; Digital Methods
Past Team Members
Erica Bennett, PhD
Post-Doctoral Teaching Fellow
I am a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow working with Dr. Andrea Bundon (critical disability studies) and Dr. Peter Crocker (Exercise and Sport Psychology). The purpose of my work is to develop understanding of the role that physical (in)activity and social location may play in shaping body-related perceptions and experiences across the lifespan. I am currently involved in two SSHRC-funded research projects examining (i) inclusion in sport for British Columbians who have disabilities; and (ii) older men who are diverse in sexual orientation and ethnocultural background’s body image. I also teach Qualitative Research Methods.
Past projects:
Level the Field: Disability Inclusion in the BC Sport Sector
Understanding body image in older men: exploring the role of ethno-cultural background and sexual orientation.
Research interests:
Body perceptions and experiences, gender, physical (in)activity, inclusion, qualitative research methods
Amy McDonald
Research Assistant
I am a community planner with a passion for meaningful community engagement and dialogue. I hold a Master of Community and Regional Planning degree from UBC. Currently, I’m worked with Dr. Andrea Bundon on a SSHRC-funded research project examining inclusion in sport for British Columbians who have disabilities. My work in this project primarily focused on designing and convening community engagement initiatives, in collaboration with other local organizations.
Program:
MCRP - Master of Community and Regional Planning (UBC Class of 2017)
Past projects: Level the Field: Disability Inclusion in the BC Sport Sector
Zeina Elkarsh
Research Assistant
Program: Bachelor of Science (Faculty of Science)
Past projects:
Developing an International consensus statement on wheelchair basketball rules for inclusion in the Commonwealth Games 2022
Alex Tham
Research Assistant
Program: Bachelor of Kinesiology
Past projects:
Alex conducted a KIN 499 directed study exploring the accessibility of recreation and sport facilities on the UBC campus.
Research interests: sport sociology, sport history, physical activity and disabilities, and health promotion.
Wafa Asadian
Sustainability Scholar
My role in Dr. Bundon’s group is to conduct a literature review regarding the evaluation methods that are being used in social planning for newcomers, particularly in sports and recreation of children and youth. I use the findings from my literature review to develop an evaluation framework for the SocialSport projects. SocialSport is a community integration program for engaging the new Canadians in the society through the sports.
Program: PhD candidate in Human Development, Learning and Culture (Faculty of Education)
Past projects:
Developing an evaluation framework for SocialSport
Research interests: program evaluation, curriculum evaluation, community voices and engagement, health professional education.
Publications
For copies of Dr. Bundon’s publications please email andrea.bundon@ubc.ca.
JOURNAL ARTICLES
Bundon, A., Ashfield, A., Smith, B., Tolfrey, V. (2018). Struggling to stay and struggling to leave: The retirement experiences of elite para-athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 37, 296-305.
Bundon, A., Mason, B. & Goosey-Tolfrey, V. (2017). Expert Users’ Perceptions of Racing Wheelchair Design and Set Up: The Knowns, Unknowns and Next Steps. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 34(2), 141-161.
Smith, B., Bundon, A. & Best, M. (2016). Disability sport and activist identities: A qualitative study of narratives of activism among elite athletes’ with impairment. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 26, 139-148.
Bundon, A. & Hurd Clarke, L. (2015). Honey or Vinegar? Athletes with Disabilities Discuss Strategies for Advocacy Within the Paralympic Movement. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 39(5), 351-370.
Bundon, A. & Hurd Clarke, L. (2015). ‘Unless You Go Online You’re On Your Own’: Blogging as a Bridge in Para-Sport. Disability & Society, 30(1), 185-198.
Bundon, A. & Hurd Clarke, L. (2014). ‘Keeping Us from Breaking’: Elite Athletes’ Access to and Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 6(1), 121-138.
Hurd Clarke, L., Korotchenko, A. & Bundon, A. (2012). ‘The Calendar is Just About Up’: Older Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions Reflect on Death and Dying. Ageing & Society, 32(08), 1399-1417.
Bundon, A., Hurd Clarke, L. & Miller, W.C. (2011). Frail Older Adults and Patterns of Exercise Engagement: Understanding Exercise Behaviour as a Means of Maintaining Continuity of Self. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 3(1), 33-47.
Hurd Clarke, L. & Bundon, A. (2009). From ‘the Thing to Do’ to ‘Defying the Ravages of Age’: Older Women Reflect on the Use of Lipstick. Journal of Woman and Aging, 21(3), 198-212.
BOOKS
Bundon, A. (Ed.) (2017). Digital Qualitative Research in Sport and Physical Activity. Routledge.
BOOK CHAPTERS
Bundon, A. (2017). Blogging and feminist participatory research online. In Mansfield, Caudwell, Watson & Wheaton (Eds.). Handbook of Feminisms in Sport, Leisure and Physical Education. Palgrave.
Smith, B. & Bundon, A. (2017). Disability models: Explaining and understanding disability sport. In I. Brittain & A. Beacom (Eds.). Palgrave Handbook of Paralympic Studies. Palgrave.
Bundon, A. (2017). Introduction. In A. Bundon (Ed.). Digital Qualitative Research in Sport and Physical Activity. Routledge (pp. 1-12). *updated version of journal article previously published in Disability & Society.
Bundon, A. & Hurd Clarke, L. (2017). Unless You Go Online You’re On Your Own: Blogging as a Bridge in Para-Sport. In A. Bundon (Ed.). Digital Qualitative Research in Sport and Physical Activity. Routledge (pp. 125-140). *updated version of journal article previously published in Disability & Society.
Bundon, A. (2016). “Talking my language”: The AthletesFirst project and the use of blogging in virtual disability sport communities. In M. Kent & K. Ellis (Eds.). Disability and Social Media: Global Perspectives. Ashgate Publishing.
Bundon, A. (2016). The Web and digital qualitative methods: Researching online and researching the online in sport and exercise studies. In B. Smith & A. Sparkes (Eds.). Handbook of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise. Routledge (pp. 355-367).
Bundon, A. & Smith, B. (2016). From inspired to inspiring: Community-based research, digital storytelling, and a networked Paralympic Movement. In S. Gair and A. van Luyn (Eds.). Sharing Qualitative Research: Showing Lived Experiences and Community Narratives. Routledge.
REPORTS
Bundon, A., Mason, B, & Tolfrey, V. (February 2018). Wheelchair Basketball: Developing a consensus statement on wheelchair basketball format for inclusion in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Research Report. Prepared for International Wheelchair Basketball Federation.
Bundon, A., (Ed.) (February 2016). Para-Athlete Retirement: Insights, Support, Management, Research Report. Prepared for the English Institute of Sport (Performance Lifestyle division). Loughborough, UK: The Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport (Loughborough University).
Bundon, A., Rigas, A., Sparks, R. (September 2015). Paralympic Impacts and Legacies – Invitational Forum 2014, Technical Report. Published by the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Sport and Sustainability in cIRcle digital repository (http://circle.ubc.ca
PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS
Bundon, A. & Ashfield, A. (2016). Life After the Paralympics: Supporting the Out-of-Sport Transitions of Elite Para-Athletes. The Sport and Exercise Scientist. 49, 13.
Bundon, A. (2006). Medical Services Usage at the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina. Pulse: The Magazine of the Sport Medicine Council of Alberta, Spring 2006, 10-12.
Opportunities
Dr. Bundon is currently accepting MA and PhD students. To discuss opportunities please contact her at andrea.bundon@ubc.ca. For details on the School of Kinesiology’s graduate programs and how to apply please see here.
Dr. Bundon can be reached by email at andrea.bundon@ubc.ca.