ABSTRACT

In Snowboarding Bodies in Theory and Practice (Thorpe 2011) I blend social theory and empirical evidence to offer a comprehensive investigation of snowboarding bodies in local and global contexts. My analysis derives from multiple modes of data generation, a type of methodology used extensively by Bourdieu and which he describes as a ‘discursive montage’ of ‘all sources’ (Bourdieu and Wacquant 1992: 66). Bourdieu (1980/1990) adds that this is ‘the only possible attitude toward theoretical tradition’ (p. 252). Throughout this project I seized all types of data, evidence, sources and artefacts to enlighten my inquiry into snowboarding bodies, but my primary methods were participant observations, interviews and media analysis. Between 2004 and 2010, I conducted fifteen ‘ethnographic visits’ – ranging from one week to one month – in an array of snowboarding communities and ski resorts in Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United States. Attempting to understand how snowboarders experienced their bodies in and across local snowboarding fields, I made observations on and off the snow, including lift lines, chair lifts, resort lodges, snowboard competitions and events, bars and cafes, snowboard shops and bus-shelters. I developed my participant-observations in dialogue with 60 participants (32 female and 28 male) ranging from 18 to 56 years of age. Seeking to understand the diverse experiences of snowboarders, interviewees held an array of positions within the culture ranging from novice to professional athletes. I also used cultural sources such as magazines, films and websites, in conjunction with multi-sited fieldwork and interviews, which helped deepen my understanding of snowboarding’s cultural complexities.