This pioneering edited volume seeks to consolidate and advance emerging interdisciplinary scholarship examining the rich cultural tapestry of BMX. While research on individualised lifestyle sports like skateboarding and surfing has proliferated in recent years, BMX cultures and communities remain under-explored academic territory ripe for rigorous investigation.
The editors invite proposals from scholars across the social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary fields - including but not limited to sociology, anthropology, geography, urban studies, media studies, sport studies, design, architecture, education, psychology, and philosophy. We welcome empirical, theoretical, and methodological contributions that critically analyse BMX through novel lenses and perspectives.
Please submit your proposal by
March 31 2025.
Topics relating to cultural dimensions may include but are not limited to:
- Material cultures, spatial practices, and urban landscapes of BMX
- Organisational structures, DIY ethics, and alternative economies
- Professionalisation, mediatisation, and the "Olympification" of BMX
- Gender, masculinity, inclusion, and emerging identities
- Content creation, social media, and digital cultures
- Physical and psychological well-being, risk, and bodily techniques
- Industry, consumption, and lifestyle branding
- Exclusionary practices, localism, and territorial/group dynamics
- Applications in pedagogy, coaching, and experiential learning
- Methodological challenges and innovations in BMX research
- Vernacular terminology, slang, and linguistic anthropology
- Philosophical dimensions of style, creativity, and expressivity
- Intersections of class, gender, race, ethnicity, and youth culture
- Mental health, Wellbeing, Belonging
About the Editors:Dr. Dave Camilleri has been immersed in BMX trail scene for decades both in Australia and Europe. He is a lecturer and researcher at The University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education. His teaching and research interests are in youth studies, wellbeing, creativity, and BMX for Life project!
Dr. Liam Healy is a design-researcher, lecturer and bike rider based at the University of Sheffield School of Architecture. He is currently researching access, trail building, maintenance, and DIY design in relation to forests and woodlands.
Dr. Roth Smith is an assistant professor in the School of Communication Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA. Roth has previously studied the organising efforts of dirt jump trail builders across multiple trail spots in Texas.
Timeline
We anticipate final chapters to be due for publication in early 2026.
