Jay Johnson

Dr. Jay Johnson is a full professor at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, with a background in middle/high school teaching. His research critically examines sport, leisure, and education through mixed-methods approaches, focusing on climatic change impacts, Indigenous youth experiences, and hazing prevention. He holds a PhD in Education from the University of Toronto and has authored/co-edited influential works like Making the Team: Inside the World of Sport Hazing and Initiations. His work bridges academia and activism, including projects on bike culture, land-based education, and environmental policy.

Education:

• Post-Doctorate, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University
• PhD, Education, Sociology and Equity Studies, University of Toronto
• Master’s in Exercise Science, University of Toronto
• B.Ed., University of Toronto
• B.A., University of Guelph

Research Interests:

• Investigating climate change’s effects on physical activity and environmental interfaces
• Land-based education and Indigenous/non-Indigenous youth engagement
• Sport hazing prevention and cultural transformation
• Activism in urban cycling and sustainable transportation
• Gender, race, and homophobia in sport team rituals
• Body image, bullying, and sport doping

Key Projects:

• Co-created San José Bike Party Digital Museum (UBC-hosted open-access archive)
• Community-based research on bicycle activism and public space
• Toolkit development for hazing prevention in sports

Media & Outreach:

• Consultant/expert witness in high-profile cases like the CHL hazing litigation
• Keynote speaker at Ontario Coaches Conference (2019)
• Media commentary on sports culture issues (e.g., Washington Post, Toronto Star)

Teaching:

• Graduate courses in qualitative research, sociology of sport, and environmental ethics
• Undergraduate courses on outdoor leadership, culturally relevant education, and sustainable tourism

Current Students:

• Supervising 8 PhD/Master’s students in areas like hazing, environmental policy, and Indigenous education