Dr Brad Millington
Profile
In broad terms, my research examines sport and physical culture from a sociological point of view. Drawing from a variety of academic theories and methods, my work is attentive to the social, political, economic, and institutional contexts that help shape sporting and cultural practices, to the politics of representation related to sport and the active body, and to the perceptions and experiences of sport consumers, participants, organizers, and cultural intermediaries.
More specifically, my research to date has explored topics such as promotional campaigns surrounding interactive fitness technologies, youth perceptions of masculinities in popular media, seniors’ uses of sport-themed video games, and the golf industry’s responses to the environmental movement. I also have studied and have an on-going interest in portrayals of identity in various media forms and in the meanings ascribed to food and nutrition.
Research interests
- Sport, physical culture, and the body
- Media production, consumption, and representation
- Aging and physical activity
- Physical education and masculinity
- Sport and the environment
Teaching
- ED30455: Filmic Representations of the Sporting Popular
- ED20414: Sport, Promotional Culture & Tourism
Publications
Book Sections
Wilson, B. and Millington, B., 2013. Sport, ecological modernization and the environment. In: Andrews, D. L. and Carrington, B., eds. A Companion to Sport. Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 129-142. (Blackwell Companions in Cultural Studies)
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2012. Media analysis in physical cultural studies : from production to reception. In: Young, K. and Atkinson, M., eds. Qualitative Research on Sport and Physical Culture. Bingley, UK: Emerald Press, pp. 129-150. (Research in the Sociology of Sport; 6)
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2010. Consuming media, constructing masculinities : a study of youth audiences and physical education in 'reflexively modern' times. In: Kehler, M. and Atkinson, M., eds. Boys' bodies. New York, U.K.: Peter Lang. (Adolescent Cultures, School and Society)
Articles
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2013. Super intentions : Golf course management and the evolution of environmental responsibility. Sociological Quarterly, 45 (3), pp. 450-475.
Millington, B., 2012. Forthcoming. Amusing ourselves to life : fitness consumerism and the birth of bio-games. Journal of Sport and Social Issues
Millington, B., 2012. Use it or lose it : ageing and the politics of brain training. Leisure Studies, 31 (4), pp. 429-446.
Brayton, S. and Millington, B., 2011. Renovating ethnic identity on Restaurant Makeover. Social Identities, 17 (2), pp. 185-200.
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2010. Media consumption and the contexts of physical culture: methodological reflections on a 'Third Generation' study of media audiences. Sociology of Sport Journal, 27 (1), pp. 30-53.
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2010. Context masculinities : media consumption, physical education, and youth Identities. American Behavioral Scientist, 53 (11), pp. 1669-1688.
Millington, B., 2009. Stuart Hall and the 'floating significance' of race. British Columbia Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research Quarterly Newsletter, 5 (1).
Millington, B., 2009. Wii has never been modern: 'active' video games and the 'conduct of conduct'. New Media & Society, 11 (4), pp. 621-640.
Millington, B., Vertinsky, P., Boyle, E. and Wilson, B., 2008. Making Chinese-Canadian masculinities in Vancouver's physical education curriculum. Sport, Education and Society, 13 (2), pp. 195-214.
Boyle, E., Millington, B. and Vertinsky, P., 2008. Repräsentationen der Boxerin : Erzählungen von Rasse, Gender und Behinderung in "Million Dollar Baby". Berliner Debatte Initial, 19 (1-2), pp. 73-88.
Boyle, E., Millington, B. and Vertinsky, P., 2006. Representing the female pugilist : narratives of race, gender and disability in Million Dollar Baby. Sociology of Sport Journal, 23 (2), pp. 99-116.
Conference or Workshop Items
Millington, B., 2013. Golf and the (Post-)Politics of Environmental Management. In: Political Studies Association, Sport, Policy & Politics Conference, 2013-02-02, Bath.
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2012. A state of exception : golf and environmental regulation in Canada. In: 33rd Annual Conference of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, 2012-11-07.
Millington, B., 2012. Aging in the Information Age : an ethnographic study of video gaming in Canadian retirement centres. In: 6th Annual Sport Canada Research Initiative (SCRI) Conference 2012, 2012-10-30.
Millington, B., 2012. Amusing ourselves to life : video games , the body, and the politics of fitness promotion. In: North American Society for the Sociology of Sport 33rd Annual Conference, 2012-11-07 - 2012-11-10, New Orleans.
Millington, B., 2011. Aging in the information age : an ethnographic study of video gaming in Canadian retirement centres. In: 5th Annual Sport Canada Research Initiative (SCRI) Conference 2011, 2011-11-03 - 2011-11-03, Aylmer, Quebec.
Wilson, B. and Millington, B., 2011. From reformism to resistance : golf, the environment and social change. In: 32nd Annual Conference of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS), 2011-11-02 - 2011-11-05, Minneapolis.
Millington, B., 2011. Smartphone apps and the mobilizing of health consumption. In: Alberta Round-Table for the Socio-Cultural Study of Sport, 2011-04-30, Lethbridge.
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2010. The golf industry and the making of environmental responsibility. In: 31st Annual Conference of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, 2010-11-03 - 2010-11-06, San Diego.
Millington, B., 2010. The work of health promotion in the age of digital reproduction. In: Human Kinetics Socio-Cultural Workshop, 2010-01-01, Vancouver.
Millington, B., 2009. "Brain games', aging and the mobilization of risk". In: 30th Annual Conference of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, 2009-11-04 - 2009-11-07, Ottawa.
Brayton, S. and Millington, B., 2009. Ethnic salvation and the limits of liberal benevolence on Restaurant Makeover. In: Researchers and Academics of Colour for Equality (RACE) Network 9th Annual Critical Race and Anti-Colonial Studies Conference 2009, 2009-06-05 - 2009-06-07, Montreal.
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2008. Context masculinities : media consumption, physical change and youth identities. In: To Remember is to Resist : Forty Years of Sport and Social Change, 2008-05-20 - 2008-05-22, Toronto.
Millington, B., 2008. New technologies, the sporting body and government(ality). In: 3rd Annual Human Kinetics Graduate Student Research Conference, 2008-01-01, Vancouver.
Millington, B., 2008. Wii has never been modern : 'active video games' and governmentality. In: North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, 2008-10-31 - 2008-11-04, Denver.
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2006. Global ethnography and youth cultural resistance : a study of Canadian activist groups and their usage of internet communication. In: Internationalizing Media Studies Conference 2006, 2006-09-01, London.
Millington, B. and Ramanathan, S., 2006. Talking with youth : focus groups, interviews and the challenges of qualitative research. In: First Annual Human Kinetics Graduate Student Research Conference 2006, 2006-01-01, Vancouver.
Millington, B. and Wilson, B., 2006. Youth, masculinity and (sport) media : methodological reflections and suggestions. In: North American Society for the Sociology of Sport Conference 2006, 2006-11-01, Vancouver.
Millington, B. and Boyle, E., 2005. Representing the female pugilist : narratives of race, gender and disability in 'Million Dollar Baby'. In: North American Society for the Sociology of Sport Conference, 2005, 2005-01-01, Winston-Salem.
