The Human Body as Object and Performance: Socio-Political Critique of Structural Racism Through Bodily Performance

Abstract

This thesis analyses the power of gestures as a means of bringing attention to structural racism within the sporting arena. Using the case study of Colin Kaepernick’s gesture of taking the knee, the thesis advances a method of Postfoundational Discourse Analysis to investigate the effectiveness of kneeling prior to national anthem ceremonies in bringing audiences’ attention to structural racism. The thesis debates the hypothesis that athlete protest to bring attention to structural racism is typically met with initial hostility from fans, but over time becomes largely valorised. There are three key factors responsible for initial hostility and three reasons for perceptions shifting over time. The factors leading to initial hostility are the disruptions of sports fans expectations of events, the legacy media’s framing of the event, and the lack of broader societal understanding regarding structural racism. This thesis engages with each of these factors and suggests how they change over time. The thesis argues that as the factors shift, perspectives towards the athlete become more positive, as can be seen with the case of Kaepernick. Ultimately, the thesis recognises the power of the sporting arena as a platform through which to reach millions of people, and so it is pivotal that knowledge of how information is conveyed and interpreted within this space is disseminated and increased.

Date of Award	24 Feb 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Alexander Samely (Co Supervisor) & Michael Hoelzl (Main Supervisor)