Staff Profile
Dr Mark Mierzwinski
Senior Lecturer in Sociology of Sport and Health
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Course Lead for Physical Education and Sports Coaching (MA), Sports Therapy (MSc), Sport & Exercise Science (MSc).
I graduated from York St John University with a first-class degree in Sport Studies and completed an MSc in the Sociology of Sport at Loughborough University. In 2010, I became a lecturer at York St John University and completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PCAP). I completed my part-time PhD in 2020 and I spent five years (2017 to 2022) as a Learning and Teaching Lead in the School of Sport and then Science, Technology and Health. In 2022, I gained a Senior Fellowship at the Higher Education Academy.
- School – School of Science, Technology and Health
- Email – m.mierzwinski@yorksj.ac.uk
- Phone – 01904 876 459
- Research - View my work in RaY
- Postgraduate Research Supervisor
Further information
Teaching
I generally teach across modules concerning the sociology of sport, social justice, qualitative research methods and contemporary sports issues. Currently, I am the module director on:
- Year two/Level five - Social Justice: Ethical Perspectives
- Year three/Level six - Social Justice: Sociological Perspectives
- Year four/Level seven - Debates and Discussions in Sport, Exercise and Health
Alongside my teaching, I supervise students’ research projects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Research
My broad research interest lies in how people socially construct, promote and enact social justice in sports, education and healthcare environments. I am co-founder and director of the research group, Tackling Welfare in Sport Together.
Currently, I have three specific focuses: a) people’s right to play, athlete welfare and duty of care with respect to language and discrimination, b) alcohol and gambling consumption, attitudes towards it and effective interventions, and c) health inequalities, differential health outcomes and patients’ quality of life post-surgery.
To date, I tend to apply a figurative sociological framework and adopt a range of qualitative methods. I welcome any self-funded PhD research projects relating to these areas, or those listed below. I have supervised or am currently supervising PhD and Masters by Research researchers in the following areas:
- A duty of care for young people: differentiating bullying from banter in Physical Education
- Negative peer-relations in Female Physical Education: a sociological analysis of teachers’ experiences, views and interpretations
- Athlete welfare and a duty of care concerning elite junior swimmers: swim coaches’ perceptions and experiences
- The impact of Forest School within Secondary School Education: an exploratory case study of Key Stage Three pupils’ views
- The provision of Outdoor Adventurous Activities in Secondary Physical Education in North Yorkshire: a critical case study
Publications
Mierzwinski, M. & Velija, P. (2024) Young People’s Use of School-Based Banter. In: Gabriel, Norman, (ed.) International Comparisons in Learning and Education. Palgrave Studies on Norbert Elias. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 131-154
Green, M. J., Mierzwinski, M. F., & Haines Lyon, C. (2024) Conceptualising and navigating bullying in English secondary schools: a figurational analysis of power imbalances in physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 1-13.
McGivern, P., and Mierzwinski, M., (2024) A comparison of gambling behaviours among sport-based and non-sport-based students in the UK. Mental Health and Social Inclusion.
McGivern, P., Mierzwinski, M., and Stupple, E., (2023) A brief report on student gambling and how UK universities can support students. Mental Health and Social Inclusion.
Smith, O., Mierzwinski, M., McVey, J., Chitsabesan, P. & Chintapatla, S. (2022) Abdominal wall hernia and mental health: patients lived experiences and implications for patient care. Hernia. 25: 1-8.
Smith, O A , Mierzwinski, M., Chitsabesan, P. & Chintapatla, S (2022) Health-related quality of life in abdominal wall hernia: let's ask patients what matters to them? Hernia, 26: 795-808.
Mierzwinski, M; Cock, S. & Velija, P. (2021) A Position Statement on Social Justice, Physical Education, and Bullying: A Figurational Sociological Perspective. Chapter 8 in: Watson, N; Jarvie, G. & Parker, A. (eds) Sport, Physical Education, and Social Justice: Religious, Sociological, Psychological, and Capability Perspectives. Routledge, London.
Mierzwinski, M. & Velija, P. (2020) Bullying in male physical education: a figurational sociological analysis. Sport in Society, 23(10), 1630-1644.
Mierzwinski, M., & Velija, P. (2020). Figurational Sociology and Masculine Embodiment in Male Physical Education. In The Palgrave Handbook of Masculinity and Sport (pp. 117-134). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Funded research projects
Mierzwinski, M., Baker, S. & Searle, B. (2023) Rurality and health inequalities: an exploratory case study of North Yorkshire (£10,000)
Mierzwinski, M. (2020) ‘One more Knight’ An evaluation of a community project to combat loneliness. Project Report (£600)
Noret, N., Smith, A., Birbeck, N., Velija, P., & Mierzwinski, M. (2015). Bullying In School Sport. Funded research project for the Ben Cohen Stand-Up Foundation (£5,200)
Professional activities
I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and external examiner at Northumbria University (2019 to 2023). I am Chair of a longstanding community charity, whilst I also coach football and cricket to children. I am a member of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), the Football Association (FA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
