This thesis analyzes the ways in which the Japanese state uses the disabled body and disability athletics as a tool of governance and how that affects the incorporation of disabled people into Japanese society. Throughout Japan's history the disability identity has been a subject of negotiation between social actors including the government, general public, those with disabilities, and powerful international collectives. After World War II, disabled former soldiers were celebrated for their national sacrifice while other disabled bodies were displaced. In later decades, disability athletics became a space where the symbol of the ideal disabled body has been promoted for public consumption. On the stage of athletics, various actors have shaped and influenced each other by advocating different visions of the disabled body in Japanese society. Disabled athletes negotiate depictions of disability as idealized (the 'super crip') or stigmatized (the 'pitiable disabled person'), and these depictions in turn create public expectations for what the disabled body should be but at times glosses over the struggles of many disabled people. The purpose of this thesis is to consider how notions of the disabled body are used to negotiate nationalism, modern ideas of care and social responsibility, and expectations to become a body of inspiration for the disabled community and the general public. The core question is: What are the implications of the disabled body being used as a tool on the stage of disability athletics for governance in modern day Japan? The thesis will provide a basis for deeper understanding about the relevance of disability athletics as both a form of governance and a site of identity formation for the disabled.

Denna studie undersöker bevakningen av Paralympics och hur den har förändrats i de svenska dagstidningarna Dagens Nyheter och Aftonbladet, från det första mästerskapet i Rom 1960 till det senaste mästerskapet i London 2012. Studien omfattar kvantitativ innehållsanalys såväl som kvalitativ textanalys. Avsikten med den kvantitativa delstudien är att undersöka omfånget av Paralympics-bevakningen i de valda tidningarna och hur det har förändrats under den valda tidsperioden. Avsikten med den kvalitativa delstudien är att undersöka hur språket och attityden gentemot Paralympics och dess deltagare har förändrats över tid. Den kvalitativa undersökningen görs med stöd av Michel Foucaults normaliseringsteori och Umberto Ecos receptionsteori. Resultatet av den kvantitativa delstudien visar att mediebevakningen, med några få avvikelser, har ökat stadigt från 1960 till 2012. Den kvalitativa delstudien visar att attityderna gentemot Paralympics och dess deltagare överlag har förbättrats. Detta leder till slutsatsen att det finns goda förutsättningar för en mer omfattande och en mer seriös bevakning av Paralympics i framtiden.

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In this thesis, I use Foucault’s methods of discourse analysis and genealogy, and my own experiences as a Paralympic athlete, to analyze and critique the power relations of the Paralympic Movement. In Chapter 1, I contextualize my study by discussing relevant literature in Critical Disability Studies, Sociology of Sport and Adapted Physical Activity, and by introducing my methodological and epistemological frameworks. In Chapter 2, I analyze two historical accounts of the Paralympic Movement to demonstrate how they discursively represent, reproduce and justify Paralympic power relations. In Chapters 3 through 5, I use genealogy to critique Paralympic power relations: analyzing their systems of differentiation, types of objectives, instrumental modes, forms of institutionalization and degrees of rationalization. This analysis brings to the forefront how discourses of empowerment reproduce, justify and conceal the increasingly rationalized structures that enable Paralympic experts to act upon the actions, bodies and identities of those experiencing disabilities.

This study uses content analysis of newspaper articles and athlete biographical/autobiographical sources to examine the constructions of masculinity of male and female athletes at the 2008 Paralympic Summer Games in Beijing, China. Based on the socially constructed tension between disability and masculinity and the connections between sport and masculinity, this study sought examples that support or challenge the portrayal of Paralympic athletes in hegemonic masculine terms. This study finds that in the majority of cases, both sets of data sources reflects and/or reinforces the association between sport and hegemonic masculinity. This public display of masculinity indicates the athletes’ attempt to attain mainstream acceptance and legitimacy as “real” athletes as much as it does a rejection of a collective disability identity. The few instances of rejection and reformulation of masculinity come from examples in which the realities of living with impairments are insurmountable barriers to attaining hegemonic masculinity.

This study uses content analysis of newspaper articles and athlete biographical/autobiographical sources to examine the constructions of masculinity of male and female athletes at the 2008 Paralympic Summer Games in Beijing, China. Based on the socially constructed tension between disability and masculinity and the connections between sport and masculinity, this study sought examples that support or challenge the portrayal of Paralympic athletes in hegemonic masculine terms. This study finds that in the majority of cases, both sets of data sources reflects and/or reinforces the association between sport and hegemonic masculinity. This public display of masculinity indicates the athletes’ attempt to attain mainstream acceptance and legitimacy as “real” athletes as much as it does a rejection of a collective disability identity. The few instances of rejection and reformulation of masculinity come from examples in which the realities of living with impairments are insurmountable barriers to attaining hegemonic masculinity.

Thesis of (M.A.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on August 25, 2009). "Fall, 2009." At head of title: University of Alberta. A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduates Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Faculty of Physical education and Recreation, University of Alberta. Includes bibliographical references.

Aim The aim of the study was to examine the differences between able-bodied athletes (AB) and three para-athlete (PA) classes in three-dimensional range of motion (RoM) for the major joints of the body, and to define which joint angles are correlated with power output during paddling on a kayak ergometer. An additional aim was to validate three new classification tests used in classification of Paracanoe athletes. This study was an integral part of developing a new evidence-based classification system for Paracanoe which was accepted by the International Paralympic Committee in 2015. Method 41 PA (13 F and 28 M; 35 ± 9.0 years, 70.6 ± 12.5 kg, 1.74 ± 0.12 m) and 10 AB (4 F and 6 M; 22 ± 3.5 years, 78.3 ± 10.2 kg, 1.79 ± 0.06 m) participated in the study. Three-dimensional kinematic data was recorded using an optoelectronic system containing 12 infrared cameras capturing reflective markers placed on the participants, the paddle and on the force transducers. Force was measured at the paddle to enable calculations of power output. The kinematic and kinetic data were collected during paddling on the kayak ergometer at incremental intensities starting at a low intensity level (50 W). The athletes then increased intensity with 50 W up to a high intensity level which was defined as the highest level the athlete could maintain with good technique for 20 stroke cycles. The athletes were then asked to paddle at a maximal level. The kinematic and kinetic data were imported into Visual 3D and MATLAB where all calculations were made. Results There were significant differences between the AB and the three PA classes for joint angles in the shoulder (e.g. flexion/extension and internal/external rotation, AB&gt;PA), trunk (trunk rotation and trunk flexion, AB&gt;PA) and leg (hip, knee and ankle flexion AB&gt;PA) during paddling. Significant positive correlations were seen for both men and women between power output and trunk rotation RoM, hip, knee and ankle flexion RoM and in maximal trunk flexion during paddling. A positive correlation was also seen between the newly developed classification tests and the RoM values and power output. Conclusion This study showed that the RoM of the trunk and legs are positively correlated with power output during paddling on a kayak ergometer and that there is a significant difference between the AB and the PA classes in trunk and leg RoM. The results also showed that the newly developed classification tests are valid tests to use in classification of Paracanoe athletes. / Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med studien var att undersöka skillnaderna mellan icke funktionsnedsatta idrottare (AB) och tre klasser av funktionsnedsatta idrottare (PA) i tredimensionellt rörelseomfång (RoM) i samtliga större leder i kroppen, och att definiera vilka leder som korrelerade med power output vid paddling på kajak ergometer. Ett ytterligare syfte var att validera tre nya klassificeringstester för klassificering i Parakanot. Denna studie var en viktig del vid utvecklingen av ett nytt evidensbaserat klassificeringssystem för Parakanot vilket blev accepterat av Internationella Paralympiska Kommitteen under 2015. Metod 41 PA (13 K och 28 M; 35 ± 9.0 år, 70.6 ± 12.5 kg, 1.74 ± 0.12 m) och 10 AB (4 K och 6 M; 22 ± 3.5 år, 78.3 ± 10.2 kg, 1.79 ± 0.06 m) deltog i studien. Tredimensionell kinematisk data samlades in med ett optoelektroniskt system innehållandes 12 infraröda kameror som registrerade reflekterande markörer som var fäst på försökspersonerna, på paddeln och på kraftgivarna. Kraft mättes vid paddeln vilket möjliggjorde beräkning av power output. Den kinematiska och kinetiska datan samlades in vid paddling på kajak ergometer på olika intensitetsnivåer och idrottarna startade på en låg intensitetsnivå (50 W). Idrottarna ökade sedan intensitet med 50 W upp till en hög intensitet vilket definierades som den högsta nivån som idrottarna kunde paddla stabilt på med bra teknik i 20 drag cykler. Idrottarna paddlade sedan på en maximal nivå. Den kinematiska och kinetiska datan importerades sedan till Visual3D och MATLAB där alla beräkningar utfördes. Resultat Det fanns en signifikanta skillnader mellan AB och de tre PA klasserna för ledvinklarna i skuldran (flexion/extension och inåt/utåt rotation, AB&gt;PA), bålen (bål rotation och bål flexion, AB&gt;PA) och i benen (höft, knä och ankel flexion, AB&gt;PA) vid paddling. Det fanns en signifikant positiv korrelation för både män och kvinnor mellan power output och RoM i bål rotation, höft, knä och ankel flexion och i maximal bål flexion vid paddling. En positiv korrelation fanns även mellan de nyutvecklade klassificeringstesterna och RoM värdena samt power output. Slutsats Studien visade att bål- och benrörelsen är positivt korrelerat med power output vid paddling på kajak ergometer och att det är en signifikant skillnad mellan AB och PA klasserna i bål och ben RoM. Resultaten visade också att de nyutvecklade klassificeringstesterna är valida tester för användning inom klassificering av Parakanotister. / <p>Kursen Projektarbete.</p>

Com a finalidade de melhorar o desempenho e de entender os atletas, atualmente tem aumentado a utilização de métodos de avaliação psicológica, os quais chegaram ao esporte e passaram a ocupar espaço nos planejamentos de equipes, auxiliando na tomada de decisões relacionadas ao desempenho esportivo. A Escala de Humor de Brunel (BRUMS) avalia a disposição mental e o humor do indivíduo, contribuindo para a individualização do treinamento. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi o de relacionar estas subescalas de estados de humor ao desempenho esportivo de 30 jogadores profissionais de Goalball no período de treinamento e competição (jogo) estratificados por sexo, nível competitivo, posição e titularidade. Os resultados demonstraram correlações significativas entre variáveis de humor e de desempenho esportivo nas situações de treino e jogo, destacaram as diferenças de estados de humor entre os sexos, porém não no desempenho, demonstraram que não existem diferenças significativas no desempenho esportivo de atletas de nível nacional e internacional, que a posição de ala possui característica ofensiva e a de pivô, defensiva, e ainda que atletas reservas não diferem no desempenho esportivo, porém diferem nos estados de humor quanto aos titulares. Pode-se concluir que se faz necessária avaliação constante dos estados de humor juntamente com o desempenho esportivo para que se obtenha o melhor rendimento de cada atleta / Sports performance improvement depends on athletes behavior in training and competition situations. Several methods of psychological assessment are used on sports teams, helping coaches and team staffs make decisions about players conditions and their performance enhancement. Brunel\'s Mood Scale (BRUMS) evaluates individual mental and mood states, which may lead to training and periodization changes on sports performance. The aim of this study was to relate these mood scales to sport performance of 30 professional Goalball players during training and competition, stratified by sex, competitive level, position and ownership. The results demonstrated significant correlations among mood and sport performance variables in training and competition, highlighted the differences in mood states between men and women but not in performance, showed that national and international players do not differ regarding athletic performance, indicated that that wing players tend to attack more than defend while pivots tend to defend more than attack and finally revealed that reserves differ from holders in mood states but do not differ from holders regarding sport performance. It can be concluded that it is important to evaluate mood states of athletes as a way to enhance sports performance

Inspired by feminist post-structural thinking and with a discourse analytic approach, this study’s main theme is gendered identity, disability and sport. It consists of four separate, but interrelated, empirical studies and focuses on two research questions. Firstly, how do female and male wheelchair racers construct and perform their identities? Secondly, how are female and male wheelchair racers represented in Swedish sports media? To answer the research questions, semi-structured interviews with wheelchair racers, and a critical analysis of sports media texts from the Paralympics in Sydney, 2000 have been conducted. In this dissertation the composition of unwritten regulations produced by the media texts, that shaped the practice of wheelchair athletes was conceptualized as the discourse of able-ism. Findings indicate that the sports media texts constructed the subject of ‘disabled sportsman/sportswoman’, which indirectly reproduced the conception of a copy and not an original. The exclusion was, however, concealed and neutralized through the regulation and differentiation that the discourse of able-ism legitimated. Although sports media still seems to reinforce negative stereotypes of disabled athletes, the wheelchair racers themselves are challenging the gender, sport and disability discourses and establishing new ways of being physically powerful and excellent in and outside the sports arena. In fact, when the athletes got the opportunity to make their voices heard in media, they re-dressed the twisted picture of wheelchair racing as passive rehabilitation training into elite sport. Consequently, it seems that wheelchair racing and its high status in disability sports empowers both male and female racers which increases their possibility to be represented as ‘real’ sportsmen and sportwomen. Finally, although, the athletes have shown that wheelchair racing has a given place in modern sport, ‘being able’ as an athlete and being a gendered individual are still strongly connected to the appearance and performance of the un-impaired body.