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Negotiating Moral Terrain: Snowboarding Mothers

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Women in Action Sport Cultures

Part of the book series: Global Culture and Sport Series ((GCS))

Abstract

Motherhood is largely an invisible concept when it comes to action sports, which are most commonly positioned as sports associated with youths. In this chapter we offer an in-depth discussion of motherhood and action sports participation drawing on semi-structured interviews and diary entries with eight snowboarding mums. Foucault’s ideas of ‘governmentality’ and ‘technologies of the self’ are utilised to explore the discursive positions the women draw on to talk about risk. Our analysis reveals that both the social and moral risks of engaging in action sports are exaggerated for mothers, particularly during pregnancy. Despite this, pleasure is frequently derived from deliberately confronting challenges.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The piste refers to the area of a snow resort that has been groomed by machinery to form a clear and compacted trail in the snow. It is considered to be far easier than skiing off-piste, where snow depth and quality can be hugely variable, and where natural hazards such as rocks, gullies and trees are not signposted.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Clinical Education, Peninsular School of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth University, Derriford, UK

    Lucy Spowart

  2. School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Lisette Burrows

Authors
  1. Lucy Spowart
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  2. Lisette Burrows
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Waikato, New Zealand

    Holly Thorpe

  2. University of Waikato, New Zealand

    Rebecca Olive

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Spowart, L., Burrows, L. (2016). Negotiating Moral Terrain: Snowboarding Mothers. In: Thorpe, H., Olive, R. (eds) Women in Action Sport Cultures. Global Culture and Sport Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-45797-4_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-45797-4_8

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-45796-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-45797-4

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