Michael Burke

Dr Burke completed a PhD at VU entitled, Sport, Foucault and Traditions of Feminism. It involved an investigation of the application of traditions of feminism to an understanding of the micropolitics of male power in sport.

The thesis partially filled a major gap in the body of knowledge in the area of philosophy of sport. The field of philosophy of sport has rarely engaged with feminism.

His other research has produced over forty publications that have appeared in refereed journals or anthologies. He has published articles in the fields of sport ethics, sport sociology and feminism.

Dr Burke's recent research has engaged with the contemporary strain of gender critical feminism in both sport studies and media studies. He argues that the regressive movement back towards sex-realism in this strain of feminism reinforces men's position of power in both sport, and society. Hence, there is a need for a reassertion of radical feminist arguments that opposed the initial form of sex-realist gender criticism from the 1980s and 90s.

His specialist disciplinary area is sport ethics.

He is also a researcher with the Institute for Health and Sport (VU).