The National University of Physical Education and Sport of Bucharest will host the ISHPES Congress from 22 to 25 July 2025. The theme chosen by the organizers is “Bodies, Identities and Representations in Physical Education and Sports from Ancient Times to the Present”.
The human body is the center of all physical activity, and since prehistoric times, individuals have engaged with and understood their bodies in various ways. Humans have utilized their bodies for movement, social interaction, competition, and the construction of personal identity. Throughout history, the perception and representation of the body have evolved, influenced by a multitude of social, economic, political, and cultural changes. In the context of physical education and sport, the body represents not only biological functions and individual performance but also encompasses broader dimensions of identity and expression. It acts as a medium through which individuals convey their emotions, beliefs, and social roles. Participation in physical activities allows individuals to shape their self-concept, thereby defining their identities both on an individual level and within the context of a community. Moreover, the body can reflect societal ideals of beauty, strength, and skill, while simultaneously challenging or subverting these ideals in the pursuit of personal or collective objectives. Given the complexity of situations in which the concept of the body can be identified, this conference seeks to explore the multifaceted ways bodies have been shaped, celebrated, and contested within sports across historical periods and geographic contexts.
Scholars specializing in sports history and contextual studies are invited to submit proposals for presentations that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- Historiography of the body in physical education and sports;
- Politics of the sporting body;
- Local/national identity and the body;
- Gender identities and sexuality in sports;
- Race and Ethnicity in Sports;
- Disability and adaptive sports in history;
- Sports media and popular culture;
- Violence and abuses in physical education and sports;
- Medicalization of the body;
- The evolution of training, diet, and the body;
- Equipment for the body: materials and technology in physical education and sports;
- The evolution of the physical education curriculum;
- The intersections of religion, spirituality, and physical performance;
- Animal bodies and human bodies in sports;
- Bodies of institutions and governing bodies in sports;
- Future directions and emerging issues;
- Open papers.
The ISHPES Congress in Bucharest will be conducted in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person and online presentations.
Submission Guidelines:
- Abstracts should be between 250 and 400 words in length and must clearly articulate the research question, methodology, and significance of the study.
- Please include a brief biography of the author(s), consisting of 50 to 100 words.
- Please indicate the specific sub-theme(s) to which your abstract is related.
- Submit your abstract and a brief biography by February 25, 2025, to the following email address: ishpes2025@gmail.com .
- Each abstract permits the author(s) to deliver a 20-minute oral presentation, followed by discussions that will take place at the conclusion of the panel.
Notification of acceptance will be sent before March 25, 2025.
