Towards more equal power relations in physical education: power, resistance and social transformation

We currently find ourselves living in precarious times of segregation with old and new inequities on the rise. One space where such segregation is (re)produced is school physical education (PE). Despite decades of critical research and curriculum reforms, PE is still typically delivered with an emphasis on skill learning associated with competitive sport. Relatedly, PE continues to make ‘friends and enemies’ which leads to inequitable educational outcomes and issues that can transcend beyond the PE classroom. So, what makes PE and its practices so resistant to change? Our interest as critical PE scholars lies in examining power: the nature of power, how power works, how unequal power relations are constructed and maintained but ultimately how PE can become a space for more equal power relations. That is, we believe that critical research on PE practice can make a difference. In this paper, we will discuss what makes PE seemingly resistant to change and how unequal power relations are (re)produced through the theoretical lens of Foucault. Through doing so we draw attention to the opportunities for resistance and social transformation which could shift and rearticulate prevailing power relations making PE a more inclusive and socially just educational space for all students.