PhD student Bahar Tajrobehkar wants to know how recently-immigrated Iranian teenaged girls are adjusting to life in Canada, particularly when it comes to physical education and activity.
Tajrobehkar’s research involves critically examining the experiences of newly immigrated Iranian female adolescents, their perceptions of physical education in the Canadian school system, and the multiple forms of barriers and opportunities they may face during their transition. She does this through examining the intersections of gender, culture, social class and bio pedagogical discourses.
“As an Iranian female who immigrated to Canada at the age of 13, I am familiar with the countless obstacles and difficulties that arriving in a foreign land can bring about,” says Tajrobehkar. “My own experiences have not only instilled in me a strong sense of sympathy and compassion for the struggles of newcomers in Canada, but they also have made me realize the importance of hearing these experiences and retelling the stories.”
No studies currently exist on students who have experienced sex-segregation education and then transitioned to a different physical education system. Tajrobehkar says that given the roles that ethnic background, immigrant status and gender play in participation in the Canadian physical education system, there is a need for research in this area.
Every year, a large number of women immigrate to Canada from Middle Eastern and Asian countries, so Tajrobehkar’s proposed research can have immediate policy and curriculum relevance for the officials working in the Canadian education system. Tajrobehkar’s research will also be one of the first of its kind to examine the transition between sex-segregated to co-ed physical education.
“I hope that my research will provide valuable insight into the circumstances of young female immigrants,” she says.
Tajrobehkar also wants her research to shine a spotlight on the broader sociopolitical factors that influence the experiences of Canadian newcomers, thus working towards a more inclusive and just Canadian system and society.