Public lecture podcasts

During the Covid-19 Pandemic there was an accelerated growth in social media influencers focused on fitness. In this episode, Bath Graduate Holly Hall talks about her dissertation research project ‘An Exploration into how the Fitness Industry, Social Media, and COVID-19 have Influenced 18-to-22-year-old Women’s Interpretations of a ‘Healthy Lifestyle'. In this episode, we talk about this trend and the content created around 'fitspiration', diet trends and body ideas. Through her research, Holly revealed some of the negative impacts this had on young women, particularly in terms of their relationships with exercise and their bodies. Holly recently graduated from the University of Bath with a first class degree in Sport Management and Coaching. Holly was also the recipient of the Department for Health undergraduate student prize for dissertation excellence. You can connect with Holly on LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-hall-548639206/ Find out more about studying BSc (Hons) Sport Management and Coaching degree here: https://www.bath.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate-2025/sport-exercise-and-health/bsc-sport-management-and-coaching-with-professional-placement/ The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/disclaimer

Described as the ‘always connected’ generation, generation Z or GenZ are driving demand for increased expansion and more immersive and engaging ways to consume sport. With sports organsations adapting ‘traditional’ sports to stay relevant, what might this mean for the future of sport consumption? These questions were the focus of a recent study by University of Bath student Oliver Snoddy. In this episode, Professor Emma Rich talks with Olly about his research study and what it might mean for making sport relevant to the ‘always connected generation’. Oliver recently graduated with a BSc Sport Management and Coaching degree from the University of Bath. He was awarded the Department for Health undergraduate student prize for innovation in his final year research project titled ‘innovating to engage and expand, a critical analysis of the Major League Baseball home run derby x’ which focuses on generation Z and emerging sports formats. You can contact Oliver via: oliversnoddy@yahoo.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osnoddy/ You can find out more about studying on the BSc Sport Management and Coaching degree here: https://www.bath.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate-2024/sport-exercise-and-health/bsc-sport-management-and-coaching/ The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/disclaimer

In this episode, hear from leading experts in the area of Sport for Development about leveraging sport for positive social outcomes. Professor Emma Rich talks with Professor Andrew Parker and Dr Haydn Morgan from the SPHERE research centre, University of Bath. Professor Andrew Parker is, a SPHERE honorary and a highly regarded freelance leadership development consultant. He has worked at a number of UK universities and is internationally recognised for his work on sport development and marginalised youth. Dr Hadyn Morgan is a senior lecturer, in the Department for Health and a member of the SPHERE research team at the University of Bath. Haydn’s research explores the connection between participation in sport and enhancement of social inclusion within marginalised populations. He has presented evidence at the All-Party Parliamentary group on Sport and Physical Activity in the Criminal Justice Systems and contributed to a ministerial Taskforce in this area. Haydn and Andrew have been collaborating for a number of years and co-authored the book ‘Sport Physical Activity and Criminal justice: Politics policy and practice’ https://www.routledge.com/Sport-Physical-Activity-and-Criminal-Justice-Politics-Policy-and-Practice/Morgan-Parker/p/book/9781032075846 We talk about sport and the criminal justice system, their latest research on comic relief’s sport for change strategy, and how grassroots sport can be used to help young people develop a sense of belonging. For more information about their Comic Relief Sport for Change research project, the three summaries are now available, as is the full report (see links below). - Findings for sport for development organisations: https://downloads.ctfassets.net/zsfivwzfgl3t/60kUqgvFckZuvYEWGP2dcq/1e8e4fdbdeff1bb3ade7dbd86a69a504/Sport_for_Change_Practitioners.pdf - Findings for funders: https://downloads.ctfassets.net/zsfivwzfgl3t/3lKe8uDMzqjDsCNJed9TH8/98771ab325e957b191169571de0f83df/Sport_for_Change_Funders.pdf - Findings for Comic Relief existing and interested partners: https://downloads.ctfassets.net/zsfivwzfgl3t/AZ4cV7eUFHY6Tlb972CkL/15a73799ed445cb59592c8af92d8be2a/Sport_For_Change_Partners.pdf - Full report: https://assets.ctfassets.net/zsfivwzfgl3t/2QiFggkb9sqxC2bLpZcgIL/d3ba5d9f704a2b1792cb8eb5f321c54a/Sport_for_Change_Report.pdf Dr Hadyn Morgan: https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/haydn-morgan https://www.linkedin.com/in/haydn-morgan-0b762139/?originalSubdomain=uk X @HaydnMorgan2 Professor Andrew Parker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-parker-44880140/?originalSubdomain=uk The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/disclaimer

One of the questions at the heart of this podcast is how do we make sport a better experience for all? Can we imagine a world where no one is excluded from sport because of sexism, misogyny, racism, classism or ableism? These questions of sporting values and equality are driving the work of Dr Sheree Bekker and Professor Stephen Mumford. They are co-directors of an exciting new initiative called the feminist sport lab - a gender inclusive space for the application of feminist principles to sport which ‘imagines a sports world divided not into Sport and Women’s Sport, but rather a landscape where Feminist Sport reigns’. In this episode, Sheree and Stephen talk about the feminist lab and their new book ‘Open play: the case for feminist sport’ – In that book, they advocate for a feminist perspective on sport, challenging conventional wisdom on the inferiority of women’s athleticism. You can read more about the Feminist Sport Lab here: https://www.feministsportlab.com Dr Sheree Bekker: https://shereebekker.me; https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/sheree-bekker Professor Stephen Mumford: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/stephen-mumford/; https://stephenmumfordblog.wordpress.com The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/disclaimer

Lane Kenworthy, a sociologist and professor specializing in income inequality and social policy, challenges the notion that reducing economic inequality is essential for improving living standards, democracy, and happiness. His research shows that the negative effects of inequality on these areas are overstated. Instead, he argues for direct policies addressing issues like health and opportunity, asserting that income inequality should be a secondary goal. He emphasizes the importance of public services in raising living standards and questions the effectiveness of measures solely aimed at reducing inequality.

In 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to sign its commitment to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 into law. Mission Zero, commissioned in September 2022 and published in November 2023, was a landmark independent report into the delivery of the UK’s net zero commitment. Chaired by Chris Skidmore, the UK’s former Energy Minister who was responsible for signing net zero into law, the review asked how the UK could better meet its net zero commitments, and how it might deliver targets in a way that works for all. Its conclusions set out a new economic narrative for climate policy, demonstrating the financial opportunity that net zero can deliver. In this IPR event, the panellists discuss the UK's transition to net zero. What challenges and opportunities will the UK face? How can we deliver net zero while also creating new jobs, industries and investment? How do we ensure that as we reduce our emissions, the transition is fair and creates a better future for everyone? With Alix Dietzel (University of Bristol), Joss Garman (European Climate Foundation) and Chris Skidmore. Chaired by Lorraine Whitmarsh (University of Bath). This panel discussion took place on 15 May 2024.

In this episode, Professor Emma Rich talks with Professor Holly Thorpe (University of Waikato, New Zealand) an award-winning sociologist of sport, physical culture and gender. We discuss her work on gender and some of the contemporary opportunities and challenges in digital, physical and sporting cultures. You can read more about Holly's work here: profiles.waikato.ac.nz/holly.thorpe The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/disclaimer

In this episode, we talk with Dr Jack Black from Sheffield Hallam University. We begin with an exploration of what Psychoanalysis might offer Sport. We then discuss Jack’s recent research on tackling online hate in football. Dr Jack Black, an Associate Professor of Culture, Media, and Sport at Sheffield Hallam University. We discuss Jack’s latest book 'The Psychosis of Race: A Lacanian Approach to Racism and Racialization' (Routledge, 2023) and explore what psychoanalysis might offer sport. We also discuss his UKRI/AHRC funded project, 'Tackling Online Hate in Football', which analyses examples of online hate across digital media platforms. You can find out more about Jack’s work here: https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/staff-profiles/jack-black The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/disclaimer

In this episode Professor Emma Rich talks with SPHERE doctoral researcher Zoe Jeffery about how we make Physical Education and Sport more inclusive for girls. Just recently in the UK, the Women and Equalities Committee published a report suggesting ‘Existing programmes and interventions from the Government and other bodies, while welcome, do not yet go far enough in addressing these barriers and are yet to reverse alarming downward trends in girls’ enjoyment of PE’. In this episode, Zoe shares some of the insights from her doctoral research study which has explored the experiences of adolescent girls in PE. Adopting a novel perspective, she focuses on how the material elements of PE such as PE kit and equipment, holding the capacity to affect and shape girls bodies. Working with these girls in a series of design workshops, she provided them with virtual reality technology through which they could ‘reimagine’ and ‘redesign’ PE. In the episode, she also talks about a new app she is launching to to help make PE more engaging, ‘Vibestride’. - Find out more about Zoe's work: https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/zoe-jeffery - Connect with Zoe on LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-jeffery-962063b7/?originalSubdomain=uk The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/disclaimer

Athletes, fans, sports organisations are frequently the focus of global media for what might be described as transgressions or controversies which emerge as ‘scandals’. In this episode, we talk with Professor David Rowe about his work on media and sport scandals, exploring issues such as the amplification of issues, racism and the recent case of Sam Kerr and the challenges that confront us as we move further into AI. You can read more about Professor Rowe's work here: https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/ics/people/emeritus_professors/david_rowe The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/disclaimer