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Sociocultural and Philosophical Aspects of Human Movement

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Focus Area Overview

The focus area in Sociocultural and Philosophical Aspects of Human Movement explores the deeper meanings, values, and societal impacts of sport and physical activity, preparing students to critically engage with issues of ethics, identity, and culture in movement contexts. This focus area is ideal for educators, researchers, and professionals seeking to lead thoughtful change in sport, wellness, and human performance environments.

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Career Paths

  • Academic/Scholar (Researcher/Professor/Curriculum Development)
  • Sport Industry
  • Sport ethicist/consultant, Diversity and inclusion officer, sport historian, policy analyst
  • Media and Communication
  • Sport journalism, Documentary producer/researchers, writer
  • Public sector and non-profits
  • Community program director, advocate/lobbyist, cultural affairs officer
  • Museum Archivist/Curator
  • Ethics Board members
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Faculty Mentors

Julie Brice, Ph.D. –  Sociology of Sport

John Gleaves, Ph.D. –  Philosophy of Sport

Matt Llewellyn, Ph.D. –  History of Sport and Olympic Games

Toby Rider, Ph.D. –  History of Sport and Olympic Games

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Highlight Research Topic Areas

Dr. Gleaves (Philosophy)

  • Sport Ethics/Bioethics
  • Ethics of Performance Enhancement
  • Cultural Issues in Sport and Physical Activity
  • Philosophy of Human Movement

Dr. Brice (Sociology)

  • Gender/racial/disability/class inequality in sport and movement culture
  • Role of government and nationalism in sporting cultures
  • Social justice and equity in sport/fitness
  • Athlete Activism

Drs. Llewellyn and Rider (History)

  • Modern Olympic history
  • Sport and national identity
  • Sport, politics, and the state
  • Sport, Race, and Empire
  • Sport in the Victorian Era
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Course Requirements

All official graduate study plans must include:

  • KNES 508 – Statistical Methods in Kinesiology
  • KNES 510 – Research Methods in Kinesiology
  • Two 500-level advanced courses, including:
    • KNES 516 - Advanced Study of the Philosophical Perspectives of Human Movement
    • KNES 582 - Advanced Study in Sociocultural Perspectives of Human Movement
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Research Labs /Centers

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Successful Cases

  • Cardiac rehabilitation, cancer research, Olympic, professional, and D1 strength and conditioning, PhDs, M.D., university and college-level lecturers, , Veteran Affairs, research coordinators
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Paulina Serrano

Dr. Paulina Serrano

Completed her Master’s degree in the Sociocultural and Philosophical Aspects of Human Movement in 2016 with her thesis, “Lifting the Bar: A History of Inclusion, Empowerment, and the Rise of Women’s Olympic Weightlifting.” After graduating from CSUF, she completed her PhD in history and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Penn State.

She then became at Carlos E. Castañeda Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Mexican American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research examines borderlands, citizenship, diasporic belonging, embodied forms of resistance, and labor through the prism of sport.

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