What happened to critical pedagogy in physical education? An analysis of key critical work in the field

Abstract

Despite a long history of critical scholarship in physical education (PE), current research continues to show that PE is an exclusionary and marginalising space for many students. Hawkins suggests that philosophical pragmatism, cultural materialism, and health concerns are driving the field, to the extent that the foundations of PE are in jeopardy, and even in ‘crisis’. These trends are at odds with poststructuralist approaches to the field, and with (continued) calls for critical pedagogical practice. In this article, I reflect on these issues and consider four different approaches to critical pedagogy in the work of: Richard Tinning; Laura Azzarito; my own work with a teacher called Dan; and Kim Oliver and David Kirk. Drawing on this scholarship, I argue that critical practice is needed now more than ever, and I offer some thoughts about the future of this work.