Dr. Michael Kehler, PhD

Professor Emeritus

BA (Hons), BEd (Queen's University), MEd (University of Western Ontario), PhD (Michigan State University)

Dr. Michael Kehler, PhD

Professor Emeritus

BA (Hons), BEd (Queen's University), MEd (University of Western Ontario), PhD (Michigan State University)

He was awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded project to examine why some boys are reluctant to participate in grade nine Health and Physical Education classes. As a masculinities scholar he questions the intersections between gender, schooling and health with a particular focus on the sociology of the body. Earlier research of a smaller population of students in south western Ontario provided the foundation for this larger study which spans three provinces including: British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia. The project runs September 2008-2010.

Research

Funded Research

Term
(Start Date)
External
Principal Investigator Co-Investigator Grantor Grant Title Total Amount
Oct. 2015 Kehler J. Ringrose SSHRC Schooled bodies, identities $25,000
Apr. 2014 Kehler M. Atkinson CIHR Seamliess lines $9,989
Sep. 2013 Kehler M.Atkinson CIHR (UNDER REVIEW)
Seamless liens that bind : Adolescent masculine bodies
$441,857
Oct. 2011 Kehler M.Atkinson CIHR Internationalizing bodies: Body $25,000
Sep. 2011 Kehler M.Atkinson CIHR Internationalizing bodies: Body $25,000
Sep. 2010 Kehler M.Atkinson, K. Wamsley CIHR Speaking the unspoken: Masculinities $25,000
Sep. 2008 Kehler M.Atkinson, K. Wamsley SSHRC Healthy bodies, boys body image $111,000
Aug. 2002 Kehler

OPC

Gendered Interactions $7,000

Recent Publications

Books Co-Edited

Kehler, M. & M. Atkinson, (Eds) (2010). Boys’ Bodies: Speaking the unspoken. Peter Lang.

Steinberg, S., M. Kehler, & L. Cornish, (Eds) (2010). Boy Culture: An Encyclopedia. Greenwood Press.

Martino, W., M. Kehler, & M. Weaver-Hightower, (Eds) (2009). The problem with boys’ education: beyond the backlash.  New York, N.Y.: Routledge Press.

Chapters in Books

Kehler, M. (2016) Behind locker-room doors: Knowing why some boys “stay away from each other” in W. Lehrmann (Ed.) The Sociology of Education in Canada: Contemporary Debates and Perspectives. Open University Press.

Kehler, M. (2016) Examining boys, bodies and PE locker room spaces: “I don’t’ ever set foot in that locker room” (pp. 202-220). In M. Messner & M. Musto, (Eds.), Child’s Play: Sport in Kids’ Worlds, Rutgers University Press.

Kehler, M. (forthcoming, 2015) (In)visible spaces: Adolescent boys navigating the embodied places of high school locker rooms, in Michael Messner & Michela Musto, (Eds.), Child’s Play: Sport in Kids’ Worlds, Rutgers University Press.

Kehler, M. (2014). When boys talk about their bodies: How boys learn “that persons useless” In S. Flory, A. Tischler & S. Sanders (Eds.) Sociocultural Issues in Physical Education: Case Studies for Teachers, Rowan & Littlefield Publishers.

Kehler, M. & M. Atkinson, (2013) Examining the (em) bodied boundaries of high school locker rooms. In Contemporary Debates in the Sociology of Education, (Eds.) R Brooks, M. McCormack& K. Bhopal. August.

Kehler, M. (2013). Who will “save the boys”?: (Re)examining a panic for underachieving boys. In B. Guzzetti & T. Bean, Adolescent Literacies and the Gendered Self: (Re)constructing Identities through Multimodal Literacy Practices. Taylor & Francis.

M. Atkinson & M. Kehler, (2010). Boys, gyms, lockerrooms and heterotopias. (pp.67-84). In M. Kehler & M. Atkinson (Eds), Boys’ bodies: Speaking the unspoken.. New York, N.Y.: Peter Lang.

Kehler, M.,(2010). Negotiating masculinities in PE classrooms: Boys, body image and ―want[ing] to be in good shape. (pp. 143-165). In M. Kehler & M. Atkinson (Eds), Boys’ bodies: Speaking the unspoken. New York, N.Y.: Peter Lang.

Kehler, M., (2010) Why boy Culture? In Steinberg, S., M. Kehler & L. Cornish (Eds) Boy Culture: An encyclopaedia. Greenwood Press.

(2009) Boys, friendships and knowing “It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume I am gay” (pp. 198-223). In W. Martino, M. Kehler, M. Weaver-Hightower (Eds), The problem with boys’ education: Beyond the backlash.  New York, N.Y.: Routledge Press.

(2008) The read and mis-read bodies of boys: masculinities and critical social literacy practices. K. Sanford and R. Hammett (Eds) Boys, girls, and the myths of literacy and learning. Toronto, ON: Canada Scholars Press.

(2007) High School Masculinities: Unheard Voices Among “the boys”. In B. Frank & K. Davidson (Eds), Masculinities and Schooling: International Practices and Perspectives. London, ON: Althouse Press.

Papers in refereed journals

Kehler, M. (2016). Body building or building bodies: Improving male body image through Health and Physical Education. What works? Research Into Practice, The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat.

Kehler, M., M. Atkinson (2015). The space between: Boys, bodies and negotiating research subjectivities in physical education. International Journal of Men's Health, 14(3), pp. 276-289.

Burns, J., & M. Kehler (2014). Boys, bodies and negotiated school spaces: When boys fail the litmus test. Culture, Society and Masculinities, 6(1), pp. 3-18.

Watson, A. & M Kehler (2012). Beyond the “Boy Problem”: Raising questions, growing concerns and literacy reconsidered. New England Reading Association Journal, 48, (1), pp. 43-55.

Atkinson, M. & M. Kehler, (2012) Speaking the Unspoken: Boys, bullying and biopedagogies. Thymos: Journal of Boyhood Studies. 6, (2), pp. 166-185.

Kehler, M. (2011) Locker room-low-down: Symposium is a launch-pad for addressing boys’ body image. CIHR Intersection- Newsletter. p.14, December

Kehler, M. D. (2010) Boys, books and homophobia: Exploring the practices and policies of masculinities in school. McGill Journal of Education. 45(3), pp. 351-370.

Watson, A., M. Kehler & W. Martino (2010) The Problem of Boys’ Literacy Underachievement: Raising Some Questions. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 53, (5), pp. 356-361.

Kehler M. & W. Martino (2007) Boys, literacies and schooling. Introduction in Canadian Journal of Education, Special Issue: Guest Editors, M. Kehler & W. Martino, Boys, Literacy and Schooling. 30, (2), pp. 401-405.

Martino, W. & M. D. Kehler, (2007) Gender-Based Literacy Reform: A question of challenging or recuperating gender binaries. Canadian Journal of Education, Special Issue: Guest Editors, M. Kehler & W. Martino Boys, Literacy and Schooling. 30, (2), pp. 406-431.

Kehler, M. D. & W. Martino (2007) Questioning masculinities: Interrogating boys’ capacities for self-problematization in schools. Canadian Journal of Education, 30(1), pp. 90-112.

Kehler, M. D. (2007) Hallway fears and high school friendships: The complications of young men (re)negotiating heterosexualized identities. Discourse: Studies in the cultural politics of education. 28, (2), pp. 259-277.

Kehler, M. D. & C. Green (2007). Men, masculinities and ethnography. In the International Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities, 1 vol., eds. M. Flood, J.K. Gardiner, B. Pease, and K. Pringle. London: Routledge.

Martino, W. & M. D. Kehler (2006). Male teachers and the ‘boy problem’: An issue of recuperative masculinity politics. McGill Journal of Education, 41, (2), pp. 1-20.

Kehler, M. D., K. Davison, & B. Frank (2005). Contradictions and Tensions of the Practice of Masculinities in School: Interrogating ‘Good Buddy Talk’ Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, 21, (4), pp. 59-72.

Kehler, M. D. & C. Greig (2005). Boys can read: exploring the socially literate practices of high school young men. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 9, (4), pp. 351-370.

Kehler, M. D. (2004). “The Boys” Interrupted: Images Constructed, Realities Translated. Education and Society. 22, (2), pp. 83-99.

Kehler, M. D. (2004). Masculinities and resistance: high school boys (un) doing boy. Taboo. 8, (1), pp. 97-113.

Frank, B., M. D. Kehler, T. Lovell & K. Davison (2003). A tangle of trouble: Boys, masculinity and schooling, future directions. Educational Review. 55, (2), pp.119-133.

Presentations at Refereed Academic Conferences

Kehler, M., & J. Cassidy. (2016). A literacy crisis unresolved: Beyond the boy crisis and into superhero fiction! Paper at the Association for Research in Cultures of Young People. (ARCP), Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, October 20-22.

Kehler, M., (2016). Seen or unseen: A shifting gaze upon adolescent male bodies. Paper presented at the Sport and Society Conference, University of Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, June 2-3.

Kehler, M., & J. Cassidy. (2015). “What about the boys” in tights: Beyond the boy crisis and into superhero fiction! Paper presented at the Literacy Research Association, Carlsbad, California, December 2-5.

Kehler, M. (2014) (In)visible spaces: Adolescent boys navigating the embodied spaces of high school locker rooms. Paper presented at the International Symposium on Men and Masculinities. Izmir, Turkey. September 9-11.

Kehler, M. (2014). Glocalized adolescent masculinities in Health and Physical Education: Missing bodies and discourses of denial? Paper presented at Men, health and wellbeing: Critical Insights, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, UK. July 7-8,

Kehler, M. (2013). If I could speak: Adolescent bodies, boundaries and the lines that divide us. Invited Plenary Speaker for Critical Youth Studies: The future is networking, May 30-31, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.

Kehler, M. & M. Atkinson (2013). Boys, Body image and locker room spaces. Symposium paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, CA, April 27-May 1

Kehler, M. (2012). “Years of it has led me to my poor body image”: Boys, bodies and locker room silence. Paper presented at the Young Masculinities: Challenges, Changes and Transitions, (The British Sociological Association), Imperial Wharf, London, UK. Nov 2.

Kehler, M. & M. Atkinson (2012) Bodies without Voices: Masculinized Spaces and the Unspoken Places in PE classes. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA). Vancouver, BC, April 13-17.

Kehler, M. and J. Burns (2012). Boys, bodies and negotiated school spaces: When boys fail the litmus test. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA). Vancouver, BC, April 13-17.

Kehler, M. & M. Atkinson (2011). “Smacked Across My Man Boobs:” Why Some Boys Leave Physical Education and the Locker Room Behind. Paper presented at the North American Sociology of Sport (NASS), Minneapolis, MN., Nov. 2-4.

Kehler, M. (2011) Adolescent Boys and Body Image: The struggles of “knowing I’m not built for gym class”. Paper presented at the International Symposium Speaks the Unspoken: Boys, Bodies and Body Images in Health Education, Ottawa, Ontario, June 6-8.

Kehler, M., M. Atkinson & K. Wamsley. (2010). Bodies without words?: Seeing and hearing adolescent boys in grade nine PE classrooms. Paper presented at Innovations in Gender, Sex and Health Research. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Toronto, Ontario. November 22-23.

Kehler, M., (2010). Boys with(out) bodies?: Speaking the unspoken. Expert at CIHR-Cafe Scientifique- Alternative Bathroom Scales-Food for the Mind...” Breaking the Mold, breaking the silence: A national conference on body image. Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. November, 4-5.

Kehler, M. D. (2010). Negotiating masculinities in the PE classroom: Boys, body image and “want[ing] to be in good shape”. Paper presented at Athens Institute for Education and Research: Athens, Greece. May 22-27.

Kehler, M. D. & M. F. Atkinson (2009). Bodies in the Shadows: The Locker Room as a Masculine Heterotopia. Paper presented at the Canadian Society for Studies in Education, (CSSE) Ottawa, Ontario, May 20-25.

Kehler, M. D. (2009) Negotiating masculinities in PE classrooms: Boys, body image and knowing “I will never be the captain”. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA). San Diego, April 12-18.

Kehler, M. D. (2008). Boys, bodies and body image: Questioning the unquestioned bodily practices of high school boys. Paper presented at the Canadian Society for Studies in Education (CSSE).Vancouver, British Columbia, May 30-June 4.

Kehler, M. (2008) Literate subjects, homophobia, and “helping the boys”: A conceptual questioning of what holds up the mask of masculinity. Paper presented in a symposium panel at the American Education Research Association, New York City, March 24-28.

Green, C. and M. D. Kehler (2008). Ethnography and masculinities research: Seminal beginnings, current and future challenges. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA), New York City, March 24-28.

Kehler, M. D. (2007). Gender-Based Literacy Reform: A question of challenging or recuperating gender binaries. Paper presented at Literacy Without Boundaries, International Reading Association, Toronto, Ontario May 13-18.

Kehler, M. D. (2007) Boys, bodies and locker room banter: Questioning the unquestioned bodily practices of high school boys. Paper accepted to the Canadian Society for Studies in Education. (CSSE), Saskatoon, SK, May 26-29.

Kehler, M. D. and C. Green (2006) Is that you or simply me looking back on myself?: Exploring unexplored masculinities in ethnographic research. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA), San Francisco. April 8-11.

Kehler, M. D. (2006). (Re)Examining the complicated textuality of high school masculinities. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, April 8-11.

Kehler, M. D. (2005). Safe schools and unsafe spaces: Re-examining the policies and literacy practices aimed at “helping the boys”. Paper presented at the National Reading Conference (NRC), Miami, FLA., Nov. 30- Dec. 3, 2005.

Kehler, M. D. and W. Martino (2005). Boys and literacy: Interrogating which boys and which literacies. A workshop presented at the “Unlocking our Children’s Potential: Literacy and Numeracy as a Foundation” forum sponsored by The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) and the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, Toronto, Ontario, November 24-26.

Kehler, M. D. (2005). Hallway fears and high school friendships: The complications of young men (re)negotiating heterosexualized identities. Symposium paper presented at the Canadian Society for Studies in Education, (CSSE). London, ON, May, 2005.

Kehler, M. D. (2005). It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume I am gay”: Boys, friendships and negotiating what it means to be “normal”. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association. (AERA). Montreal, April 11-15, 2005.

Kehler, M.D. (2004) Readings and Mis-readings: What happens when boys do and undo boys? Paper presented as part of a symposium panel organized by the author for the National Reading Conference (NRC), San Antonio, Texas, Dec 1-4, 2004.

Kehler, M. D. and C. Greig (2004). The literate selves: Reading or Misreading the textuality of high school boys. Paper presented at the Eleventh International Literacy and Education Research Conference. June 27-30, 2004. Havana, Cuba.

Kehler, M.D. (2004). Masculinities and Resistance: Boys Undoing Boys. Paper presented at the European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA). May 5-8, 2004, Porto, Portugal.

Kehler, M. D. (2003) In and out of the shadows: (Re) Constructing the researcher self among “the boys”. Paper presented at the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association (CSAA) conference. May 28-June 4, 2003. Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Kehler, M. D. & B. Frank (2003) Boys and masculinities: Negotiating the contradictions and tensions of the practice of masculinities in schooling. Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education. (HICE) January 7-10, Honolulu, HI.

Kehler, M. D. (2003). Both sides of the desk: Conversations with women vice-principals and high school young men. Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education (HICE) . January 7-10, Honolulu, HI.

Kehler, M. D. (2002). A Tangle of Trouble: Boys, Masculinity and Schooling, Future Directions. Paper co-authored and presented at the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association (CSAA) conference, May 29-June 1, University of Toronto, ON.

Kehler, M. D. (2002). Contesting gender: Interrupting masculinities and knowing that “you can’t just be yourself”. Paper presented at the Canadian Society for Studies in Education (CSSE). May 25-28, University of Toronto, ON.

Kehler, M. D. (2002). Resistance to “the boys”: “Fags,” “freaks” and “backward thinking.” Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA), “Validity and Value in Education Research,” April 1-5, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Kehler, M. D. (2002). Flirting with masculinities: “Shooting the shit” and “good buddy talk.” Paper presented at the International Conference on Conversation Analysis, “Ethnomethodology: A Critical Celebration.” March 20-22, Essex, UK.

Kehler, M. D. (2002). Masculinity Unmasc-ed: Counter-sexism and the cost of being unlike “the boys." Paper presented at the Gender and Society Seminar Series, sponsored by the Centre for Women’s Studies and Feminist Research at The University of Western Ontario, January 31, London, ON.

Kehler, M. D. (2001). Old Picture, New Frame: Repositioning High School Masculinities. Paper presented at the Canadian Society for Studies in Education (CSSE). May 23-27, Quebec City, Quebec.

Kehler, M. D. (2001). The Boys Interrupted: Images Constructed, Realities Translated. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA), “What We Know and How We Know It,” April 10-14, Seattle, Washington.

Kehler, M. D. (2000). High School Masculinity: Young Men Making Decisions for Social Change. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA), "Creating Knowledge in the 21st Century: Insights from Multiple Perspectives," April 24-28, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Other

Performance

Kehler, M. (2016) Sex Education, Youth Culture and the Voices We Missed. Curated an art exhibit showcasing the sex education art productions-works of 45 students from Central Secondary School and Banting Secondary School. Museum London, London, Ontario. May, 5, 2016