The influence of consumerism on Spanish physical education teachers

Abstract

Consumer culture and neoliberalism have significantly influenced contemporary globalised, Western(ised) and highly visual societies. These influences have also infiltrated physical education settings, contributing to market-driven surveillance of physical education teachers’ physical appearance. This paper examines the reflections of a group of physical education teachers working at the primary and secondary levels in Spain concerning subjectivities of bodies and professional practices. It draws on semi-structured interview data and the Foucauldian concepts of Panopticon and surveillance to explore the ways in which the participants were influenced by the market and neoliberalism. The results of the study invite us to reflect on how images and messages from media may promote certain expectations for physical education teachers concerning physical appearance, dress and sports supplements consumption. The findings have implications for teacher education and the preparation of physical education teachers to resist dominant discourses promoted by the media.