Historicising Cultural Sport Psychology: Dare we De-centre Methodological Eurocentrism?

Tatiana Ryba,Noora Ronkainen,Sae-Mi Lee

doi:10.5565/rev/qpsicologia.1566

Tatiana Ryba, Noora Ronkainen + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/qpsicologia.1566

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Abstract

In this essay we critically reflect on our respective journeys to and within cultural sport psychology (CSP). Since the inception, CSP scholars have advocated for opening the privileged academic space for marginalised voices and omitted subject themes; as well as cautioned researchers that the CSP project itself needs to be constantly revisited and reworked to keep it in progressive flux. We argue that, despite some notable advances, CSP remains a predominantly white Anglo-American intellec-tual space and that previous calls to engage with issues of power and privilege in the prevailing knowledge production have been largely unanswered. The lack of diverse voices within the CSP community may be a sign of stagnation. Therefore, we believe that sport psychology community would do well to discuss the ways in which CSP research and academic/applied practices may be al-ienating to the new generation of sport scholars and activists.

Highlights

We thank Dr Rodrigo Soto Lagos, the guest editor of “Quaderns de Psicologia: International Journal of Psychology,” for the invitation to contribute an article on Cultural Sport Psychology (CSP) for this special issue, before the onset of COVID-19
Drawing on the characteristics of cultural studies, we proposed that cultural sport psychology, especially in its applied form, would be evolving as inter- and multidisciplinary work, “focused on issues of sociocultural difference and social justice” and which “blends theoretical and practice work together in praxis, and favours qualitative research approaches” (Ryba & Wright, 2005, p. 203)
Applying similar logic to the development of scholarship, we reflexively examined our respective journeys to and within CSP

Summary

INTRODUCTION

We thank Dr Rodrigo Soto Lagos, the guest editor of “Quaderns de Psicologia: International Journal of Psychology,” for the invitation to contribute an article on Cultural Sport Psychology (CSP) for this special issue, before the onset of COVID-19. My reference to Handel Wright’s paper signifies that CSP was articulated as a critical interdisciplinary discourse vis-à-vis to the mainstream sport psychology at the turn of 21st century. Drawing on the characteristics of cultural studies, we proposed that cultural sport psychology, especially in its applied form, would be evolving as inter- and multidisciplinary work, “focused on issues of sociocultural difference and social justice (with a particular emphasis on the reconceptualization of the athlete’s identity)” and which “blends theoretical and practice work together in praxis, and favours qualitative research approaches”

TROUBLING IDENTITY IN CULTURAL SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

POWER AND PRIVILEGE IN CULTURAL SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

Activism as Scholarship

DECOLONIZING CULTURAL SPORT PSYCHOLOGY