Laura Azzarito

Laura Azzarito is a Professor of Physical Culture and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, affiliated with the Arts & Humanities division. She holds a PhD in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University (2007), a Master of Arts in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland (2004), and a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Università di Scienze Motorie di Torino (Italy). Her research focuses on embodiment, identity, and inequality in educational contexts, employing visual methods to explore youth agency and social justice. She co-directs the Physical Culture Lab and TC Visual Research Center, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches that bridge art education, visual studies, and curriculum theory.

Key research interests include critical pedagogy, intersectional analysis of gender/sex, race/ethnicity, disability, and social class, and the role of media in shaping bodily ideals. Her work challenges normative discourses in physical education and advocates for curricula that empower youth through critical reflection on societal narratives. Notable publications include Visual Methods for Social Justice in Education (2023) and Social Justice in Globalized Fitness and Health (2019).

Azzarito’s awards include the LSU Distinguished Dissertation Award (Arts/Humanities) and the Alice Love Award (Academic Excellence). She teaches courses on critical methodologies in physical education and has contributed to exhibitions of youth-generated visual research in museums and academic conferences. Her advocacy extends to addressing systemic inequities in health and fitness education, particularly for marginalized communities.