Research Spotlight: Dr. Jason Holt

Research Spotlight aims to shed light on the diverse research culture of Acadia University by celebrating the work and interests of our researchers. Each profile features six questions: five about research, one just for fun. Learn about what’s happening across campus and get to know the faces you see every day.

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Dr. Jason Holt

School of Kinesiology

Faculty of Professional Studies

In terms of research, what are you working on right now?

I have a few articles on the go right now. One examines Monroe Beardsley’s theory of dance in light of critical responses and in relation to his take on avant-garde art. Another looks at sport cards from the perspective of recent theories of portraiture. A collaborative third project is on the interaction between aesthetic and moral values in martial arts.

How does that fit with your broader research interests?

My current research areas are, broadly, aesthetics and the philosophy of sport. These interests were more or less separate for years, but lately they’ve started to dovetail in unexpected ways.  My upcoming sabbatical plan is to write a book on sport (and dance) aesthetics.

What most motivates you to do research?

It’s fun. When the work is going well I get a tingly sense of fulfillment that’s almost indecent. It really does something for me to make a little discovery or come up with a fresh slant on some theoretical subject, even if the work will find, at best, a niche audience. I also enjoy the difficult but still rewarding task of writing for an intelligent lay readership.

What tips do you give your students when they embark on a new research project?

It depends. If a student is stuck for, say, a course essay topic, I urge them to take up some part of the course material that bothered them. This often indicates an underlying critical response that is worth trying to articulate and justify. It also suggests the presence of a motivation to do the work, the lack of which students often find challenging.

For students who already have the initiative, whether they have a specific topic in mind or not, I urge them to explore where their interests fit—and tellingly, where they don’t—with existing scholarship. Neglecting this balance usually results in work that’s either derivative on the one hand or irresponsible on the other.

Do you have any forthcoming publications, events, or talks we should look out for?

Two articles: “Sport as Art, Dance as Sport” is in press with Acta Universitatis Carolinae Kinanthropologica, and the coauthored “Art by Jerks” is forthcoming in Contemporary Aesthetics. Both should be out by the end of 2017.

Tell me, what are you reading, watching, or listening to for fun these days?

For my wife and me, the big TV event of the past year was Twin Peaks (Season 3), although since then my go-to TV show has been Cheers. In terms of pleasure reading, I’m between books, but I suspect that very soon I’ll revisit something by Leonard Cohen. For some reason I’m listening to a lot of Ian Thomas these days.

Contact Dr. Jason Holt
Office: AAC 385 F War Memorial Gym
Phone: (902) 585-1885
Email: jason.holt@acadiau.ca

Research Spotlight is an initiative of the Research & Graduate Studies office. If you would like to suggest someone to be featured in this series, or if you would like to be featured yourself, please contact Deborah Hemming, Research & Innovation Coordinator: deborah.hemming@acadiau.ca

You can also download the form below, fill in your responses, and return it to Deborah by email.

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