Ways of Seeing the Body in Kinesiology: A Case for Visual Methodologies

Abstract

Given the significant link among looking, seeing, and knowing in contemporary global Western cultures, this paper adopts Pink's (2007) three broad approaches to visual methodologies to advocate for the study of cultural dimensions of the body in kinesiology. The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, it is argued that there is a need for researchers' adoption of fresh methods to enable young people to “speak” meaningfully about their experiences and ways of knowing about the body in physical activity contexts. Second, a review of relevant visual research on the body is discussed to demonstrate the usefulness, limits, and implications of a range of visual methodological approaches to research in Physical Culture Studies (PCS). Finally, building upon prior literature, it is proposed that innovative visual methodologies can further research on the body as a “seen” phenomenon in kinesiology.