Call for Papers | “A People’s History of Sport in Canada”, Special Issue of Journal of Canadian Studies  | Call ends March 30, 2026

Guest Editors

• • Carly Adams
  • Russell Field
  • Janelle Joseph
  • Ornella Nzindukiyimana
  • Christine O’Bonsawin

This special issue of the Journal of Canadian Studies calls for contributions that critically engage with histories of sport and physical activities on the lands we currently call Canada. While sport and recreation are cultural touchstones across Canada, histories of these practices among marginalized groups are often hidden from view. Early historiography focused on the 19th-century amateur sports clubs run by upper-middle-class Anglophone Montrealers and commercial, masculinist sport cartels like the National Hockey League, whose dominance of the discourse of Canadian sport has been reinforced by the mainstream media. Recent scholarship has sought to redress this imbalance, with a focus on diverse perspectives and voices. This special issue on “A People’s History of Sport in Canada” seeks to inject a ‘history from below’ approach to reconsider established interpretations and look to the future as new paths are forged for Canadian sport narratives and histories. A People’s History of Sport in Canada hopes to enhance societal awareness of the significance of sport in various communities across Canada, while offering important nuance to media narratives that continue to privilege White, male, cisgender, able-bodied sport experiences.

A People’s History of Sport in Canada aims to inject new histories into the narrative arc of Canadian sport history. Motivated by Azoulay’s (2019:289) notion of “potential history”, it “strives to retrieve, reconstruct, and give an account of diverse worlds.” Informed by intersectionality and a focus on the community level, this special issue will highlight sport as a social and cultural practice. The articles will explore the sport, recreation, and play experiences of the peoples of Canada in a way that reflects class, gender, ability, racial, and geographic diversity and intersections, while simultaneously examining how immigrant, Indigenous, and settler communities have constructed and (re)articulated meanings around diverse sport practices.

The co-editors of this special issue invite contributions from scholars in history, anthropology, sociology and/or cultural studies and those engaged in a wide number of affiliated area studies. We invite contributions that engage with, but are not be limited to, the following topics:

• • • Case studies of little-known athletes, teams, or sport organizations;
    • Case studies of sport histories in specific cities, regions, provinces/territories;
    • Indigenous cultures and practices;
    • Anti-colonial histories of play, sport, and physical activities;
    • Sport histories across Quebec;
    • Francophone sport communities’ narratives;
    • Canadian sports/athletes in relation to other nations/homelands;
    • Origins of folk and traditional sport in Canada;
    • Sport practices amongst disenfranchised groups;
    • Sport histories in relation to Canadian politics and/or nationalisms;
    • Sport histories and the body/performance/embodiment.

Deadlines

• • • Submission of abstracts: Monday, March 30, 2026
    • Invitation to submit full papers: Friday, May 29, 2026
    • Submission of full papers: Monday, August 31, 2026
    • Anonymized peer review process & submission of revisions: September 2026-March 2027
    • Final papers due: Friday, July 30, 2027
    • Anticipated publication date: Fall 2027 (volume 61, number 3)

Submission Guidelines

Contributors are invited to submit original manuscripts that have not been published and are not currently under review by other journals. We invite contributions of full papers between 7500 -10,000 words, excluding notes and bibliography, following the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition. See details here. https://www.utpjournals.press/journals/jcs/submissions

It is strongly advised for contributors to recommend reviewers who are suitable for their scholarship upon submission.

For those interested in proposing a paper for this special issue, please submit an abstract of approximately 300 words that outlines the topic, methods, and analytical conclusions to Russell Field (Russell.Field@umanitoba.ca) and Janelle Joseph (Janelle.Joseph@brocku.ca) by March 30, 2026.