Courtney Leigh Szto (born 1984) is a Canadian assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University at Kingston.
Courtney Szto | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1984 (age 39–40)[notes 1] North Delta, British Columbia, Canada |
| Awards | Recipient of the 2021 North American Society for the Sociology of Sport Outstanding Book Award |
| Academic background | |
| Education | BHK, University of British Columbia MSc, 2011, University of Toronto PhD, 2018, Simon Fraser University |
| Thesis | Changing on the Fly: Situating multiculturalism, citizenship, and hockey through the voices of South Asian Canadians (2018) |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | Queen's University at Kingston |
Early life and education
editSzto was born and raised in North Delta, British Columbia and played roller hockey and street hockey as a child.[1] When reflecting on her experience in sports, she said, "I’ve been very fortunate to have positive experiences, but what I’ve realized the more I study it is that I’m one of the lucky ones and that it’s by chance."[2] She attended North Delta Secondary School[3] and earned her Bachelor of Human Kinetics degree from the University of British Columbia. Upon receiving her degree, Szto travelled to Ontario for her Master's degree from the University of Toronto before returning to BC to earn her Doctorate of Philosophy from Simon Fraser University.[4] As a graduate student, Szto received the 2014 Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation Annual Graduate Scholarship award[5] and was a finalist for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Storytellers grant.[6]
Career
editUpon receiving her PhD in 2018, Szto accepted an assistant professor position in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University at Kingston.[7] While at Queen's, she continued to research the relationship between physical cultures and intersectional justice.[8] In this role, she co-authored a policy paper with Sam McKegney urging hockey organizations and governments to enact policy changes and re-education of coaches, parents, players, and officials on the importance of anti-racism.[9] After a lack of response from Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, and the National Hockey League, Bob Dawson, the first black man to play hockey at St. Mary's University, developed the idea for a Roundtable on Racism in Hockey with Szto's help.[2] She also helped lead a study titled Changing on the fly in 2018, which found that discrimination and a lack of diversity within hockey was the reason for the lack of South Asian participation.[3] Szto would republish the study in 2020 in the form of her first book titled Changing on the fly: hockey through the voices of South Asian Canadians.[10]
Selected publications
edit- Sport for development and peace: A public sociology perspective (2011)
- Changing on the fly: hockey through the voices of South Asian Canadians (2020)
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Klinkenberg, Marty (June 24, 2020). "The woman who is fighting racism in hockey". Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ a b Larkin, Matt (June 18, 2020). "Meet the professor helping people mobilize against racism in hockey". si.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ a b Hagedorn, Evan (April 14, 2018). "South Asian hockey players in Lower Mainland face racism, other barriers to participation: study finds". North Delta Reporter. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "Courtney Szto, PhD". skhs.queensu.ca. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation Annual Graduate Scholarship". harisharma.org. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "SSHRC president congratulates winners of national contest to communicate research in a compelling way". sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. May 29, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ "Queen's SKHS Newsletter Winter 2018" (PDF). skhs.queensu.ca. 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "Faculty Members' Research". skhs.queensu.ca. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "Policy paper calls for a culture of inclusion and acceptance in hockey". queensu.ca. March 2, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ "Changing on the Fly". ubcpress.ca. Retrieved August 26, 2020.