Barbara Ravel

Barbara Ravel is an Associate Professor at Laurentian University's School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, where she has held academic appointments since 2008. She was promoted from Assistant Professor in 2015. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Human Kinetics from Université de Montréal, complemented by a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Université Lyon 2 Lumière in France.

Her research centers on critical analyses of gender, sexuality, and media representation in sports, with emphasis on soccer/football and ice hockey in Canadian and French contexts. Key methodological approaches include feminist, poststructuralist, and queer theoretical frameworks, employing qualitative designs to explore identity politics, media narratives, and inclusivity in athletic environments.

Publications from 2006 to 2025 demonstrate sustained focus on LGBTQ+ experiences in sports, with recent work examining media portrayals of transgender Olympians and motherhood in hockey. Early scholarship established foundations in deconstructing heteronormative assumptions in women's sports, while contemporary studies address evolving media landscapes during global events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Awards:

• Barbara A. Brown Outstanding Student Paper Award (2006)