Each month the SDSC research group interviews one of its own researchers. The interviewee then becomes Researcher of the Month (RM), taking the reigns of the SDSC website, blog and Twitter account. Our March RM, Suzanne Schrijnder, feminist and PhD candidate at Victoria University, focuses on women in sport while using ethnographic methods. Currently, Suzanne is overseas in Europe collecting qualitative data for her research. Our RM is reporting from the field this month!
What are you currently researching?
My current research focuses on gender and labour relations in professional women’s road cycling.
What is your identity/background and how does this influence your research?
I tick almost all the boxes of privilege: I am white, heterosexual, educated, from a ‘developed’ country, able-bodied and I have a great, loving and supportive family. I am also a woman. I have always felt that a lot of expectations came with that - on how to be and behave - and I didn’t agree with that. I didn’t understand how this could be the case because I was taught that gender did not matter - whether you are a girl or a boy, you can be and do whatever you want. It was my Master and specifically the course ‘Diversity in Sport’ by Inge Claringbould [Utrecht University] that led me to the path I am on right now. Gender has so much influence in our everyday lives and this realization has definitely affected my research trajectory.
The fact that I am a sport sociologist has to do with growing up in a sport-orientated family, which initially inspired me to do a Bachelor in Sport, Management and Business. The Bachelor led me to doing a Master in Sport Management and Sport Policy and doing a research project on gender in CrossFit.
Being a woman from the Netherlands where cycling is a major part of culture, I think this can influence my research in a positive way. Studying the world of professional women’s road cycling could be a bit more tricky if I was a man from a country where cycling isn’t such a big deal. At the same time, being a woman in the men-dominated world of cycling could lead to similar hurdles that women athletes face in their trajectory in elite cycling.
Has your relationship with sport changed since you began your research project?
No, but it did change during my Master. When I did my Bachelor degree, I was exposed to the positive ‘sport for all’ doctrine. Although sport can create some positive outcomes, I learned that this is usually for a small group of people and that social exclusion is prominent in sport. So, although I enjoy being active and doing sports, I am critical of sport as an institution.
What do you wish you'd known when you started your PhD? And, what advice do you give to people interested in pursuing a PhD?
I still feel like I have just started my PhD, but it has already been 1.5 years. I am still enjoying the journey and it’s great to network along the way with inspiring people in the field. During a conference, I learned about the imposter syndrome and how a lot of people experience it. I guess if I had known about that before starting the PhD, it would have been less daunting.
For me, the PhD project was appealing because of how it fits with what I enjoy and find important. The methodology of ethnography allows me to study real life. The gendered angle of the project is something I think is important to know more about. The fact that I knew little about cycling gave me the opportunity to learn about a whole new world. So, if you’re interested in pursuing a PhD, my advice would be that you need to know what you are passionate about and find that in your project.
What are the biggest challenges you face in your current work/position?
At the moment, my biggest challenge is getting access to the field. One part of my research is to study the highest competition in women’s road cycling in the world and it is a field that is taken very seriously by the people in it. To get access to them and be able to observe their daily experiences is challenging. I think it takes time to prove to them that I take this very seriously as well.
How would your research change if gender roles were different?
If gender roles were different, I would hope they were equal. I think my research would have less of a gendered focus. If there were equal gender roles women would be racing the same number of races, getting the same amount of exposure in the media - focused on their athleticism rather than their femininity/sexuality - and they would have professional contracts that include a wage and benefits, while winning equal amounts of prize money without being sexually or financially harassed. Maybe the focus would be more on ‘race’ or globalization in combination with capitalism and politics in road cycling?
How do you feel about climate change and the future trajectory of the world?
I feel that the whole believing vs. non-believing is non-sense, because climate change is happening. There seems to be a lot of awareness about climate change, but little action is undertaken. It is important that everyone contributes to keeping our planet safe for everyone. I try to do this through personal decisions such as not eating meat, being conscious of the products I buy, and using cycling as my main transport! As the late MJ said, ‘If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make a change’.