Dr. Jay Johnson is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at San José State University and holds a PhD in Education, Sociology and Equity Studies, a Master’s in Exercise Science, a B.Ed. with an emphasis on junior, intermediate and senior education, all from the University of Toronto, and a B.A. from the University of Guelph. Jay has an extensive and interdisciplinary teaching background which has awarded him the opportunities to not only teach in diverse fields of education, both at the University as well as junior and high school levels, in addition to being involved in crafting, designing and implementing curriculum, designed to target those varying populations. Jay’s current interdisciplinary research explores child labor issues and body fascism, doping knowledges of elite female triathletes, the impact of climatic change on our physical experiences and the interface of sport, physical activity and the environment. He has published extensively on issues regarding initiation and hazing practices in varsity sport, co-editing Making the Team: Inside the World of Sport Initiations and Hazing. He is also currently a co-investigator on a study examining the effects of body-based harassment on girls’ and boys’ body image and participation in physical activity. As well, he is currently investigating how economically and socially disadvantaged youth experience their metropolitan landscape in a bid to identify desired environmental changes that may increase the use of active spaces. Jay is also pursuing research streams which examine the utility, function and performance of the bike and bicycle culture and community for adults and for youth. Dr. johnson serves as editor of The Journal of Sport, Physical Activity, Body and the Environment (JSPABE). He is a former wrestler and hockey player who can now be occasionally seen on a triathlon course as either a coach or a participant. He is an avid cyclist who is keen to make opportunities available for all to tap into the joy of being on two wheels. Although he hails from Canada, he is quickly absorbing all the intricacies and beauty of his new home in California.
Articles
Across the threshold: A comparative analysis of Communitas and Rites of Passage in sport hazing and initiations, Canadian Journal of Sociology (2011)
Hazing rituals and ceremonies have been described in traditional, historical world cultures, junior and high...
Making the Team: Threats to Health and Wellness Within Sport Hazing Cultures (with J. W. Chin), The International Journal of Health, Wellness and Society (2011)
Though involvement in team sports is often encouraged for its health-inducing benefits, this encouragement generally...