PhD 1998 (Loughborough University) – Exploring experiences of a group of British Muslim women in initial teacher training and their early teaching careers; M.Sc (Distinction) 1995 (Leicester University) - Sociology of Sport and Sports Management; M.Ed. 1988 (Exeter University) – (Creative Arts); DPSE 1988 (CNAA) (Dance in Education); B.Ed. (Hnrs) 1974 (Nottingham) Specialism Physical Education

Profile

Tansin Benn has been a teacher, coach, lecturer and researcher in the field of physical education, sport and dance throughout a long career. After teaching in schools, Tansin entered teacher training and moved into programme development and implementation across undergraduate and post graduate provision in the University of Birmingham.

As a volunteer in the sporting world, alongside a full-time post in higher education, Tansin also spent twenty years as a coach, British Gymnastics Association committee member and international judge in the sport of women’s artistic gymnastics. 

Another long-standing commitment has been in the area of dance, creating and leading a Masters degree programme for professional dancers and teachers at the University since 1997. The current cohort, including dancers from Birmingham Royal Ballet and teachers from Elmhurst and Further Education, embarked on an MPhil programme September 2009.

After serving in many capacities in the senior management of the School of Education, Tansin won a Leverhulme Research Fellowship in 2008 to undertake research at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. This led to further international opportunities in her research area of increasing opportunities for Muslim girls and women in physical education and sport.

Research interests

• Experiences of Muslim girls and women in physical education and  sport
• Cross-cultural research 
• Gender, ethnicity, religion and the body
• Research, pedagogy and practice
• Women’s history in physical education
• Dance, Arts and Artists and Education

Teaching and administration responsibilities

Teaching includes practical and theoretical courses in the undergraduate BA SPECVS programme (Sport, Physical Education and Coaching Science). For example, current work includes leading and contributing to History and Sociology of Sport and Physical Education, teaching on Pedagogy and Aesthetic Activities – Gymnastics and Dance, the Teaching and Coaching of Swimming, as well as supervising on students’ Placement and Dissertation studies.

PGCE teaching also forms part of Tansin’s profile of teaching in physical education.

The MPhil(B) in Research in Education (Dance) has nine research students and Tansin also supervises PhDs with home and international students on physical education and sport.

Senior administrative responsibilities over the years have included Programme Coordinator, Head of Department, Director of Learning and Teaching, Head of Academic Programmes and Deputy Head of School.

Other professional appointments

• President of the International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW), 2009 – 2013.
• Elected to Executive Board of the International Council of Sports Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE), 2008 – 2012.
• International Committee of Sport Pedagogy (ICSP) 2005 – 2012.
• Honoured member, National Subject Association for Physical Education (afPE).

Publications (selection)

Books

Benn, T., Pfister, G., & Jawad, H. (Eds) (2010) Muslim Women in Sport, London: Routledge. 

Jawad, H. & Benn, T. (Eds) (2003) Muslim Women in the United Kingdom and Beyond, Experiences and Images. Leiden, Netherlands; Brill.

Book chapters

Benn, T. and Benn, B. (2004) ‘After Olga: Figurational Perspectives on Women’s Artistic Gymnastics following the 1972 ‘Olga Korbut’ phenomenon’, in E. Dunning, D. Malcolm and I. Waddington (Eds)  Sport Histories: Figurational Studies of the Development of Modern Sport, London: Routledge.

Journals

Benn, T., Dagkas, S., & Jawad, H. (2010) Embodied faith: Islam, religious freedom and educational practices in physical education, Sport, Education and Society.

Benn, T,. Dagkas, S. (2006) Incompatible? Compulsory mixed-sex Physical Education Initial Teacher Training (PEITT) and the inclusion of Muslim women: a case study on seeking solutions, European Physical Education Review, 12 (2), pp. 181 – 200

Benn, T., Benn, B., and Doyle, B. (2006) An Inside Story: Tracking Experiences, Challenges and Successes in a Joint Specialist Performing Arts College, Research in Dance Education, 7 (1), pp. 15 – 34.

Benn, T. (2003) Reflections on a degree initiative: UK’s Birmingham Royal Ballet Dancers enter the University of Birmingham. Research in Dance Education, 4 (1), pp. 5 – 16.

Publications 2001 - 2008 [pdf]