The aim of this thesis is to study how the use of the body in roller derby is related to gender and social class. The investigation is based on five qualitative interviews as well as seven observations of practices and games (bouts). The theoretical frame is founded on theories by Young (2005) to get an understanding of women´s use of the body, Skeggs (2000) to relate femininity and respectability to class, as well as Bourdieu (1984), both as a background for Skeggs (2000) theory, as well as giving an understanding of the relation between participating in sports and social class position. The investigation demonstrates, among other things, that the derby girls do not identify with the positions they find within sports and the informants have also changed their view on and relation to their own body through roller derby. The informants have also been able to demonstrate to others, as well as themselves, that their bodies do manage challengeable physical exercise. Bruises are physical capital within roller derby and a sign of criticism against the respectable femininity entering other fields. The informants brake the female pattern of movement Young (2005) identify, at the same time as the “outside world” reminds them of their position as women related to the respectable femininity norm (Skeggs, 2000) they do not identify with. The informants express a position as outsiders, both within the sports world as well as not fitting in the respectable femininity norm, which is expressed through roller derby. The derby players are trying to find a place where they fit from the position of women and hence also from the social class perspective, in relation to that roller derby is a source of capital as well as the capital brought in matters.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:lnu-45683 |
| Date | January 2015 |
| Creators | Lundin, Emma |
| Publisher | Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för samhällsstudier (SS) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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