Dr. Jack Black BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD
Associate Professor of Culture, Media, and Sport
Summary
I am an interdisciplinary researcher specialising in sport, media and cultural studies, and psychoanalysis. My work explores topics, such as, race and racism, online hate, sport and national identity, comedy and humor, and political ecology. I lead teaching on 'Sport and the Media' and 'Sport Journalism' modules, fostering critical engagement with the intersections of culture, politics, and media in contemporary sport.
About
Dr. Jack Black is an Associate Professor of Culture, Media, and Sport in the School of Sport and Physical Activity at 㽶Ƶ. An interdisciplinary researcher, his work integrates psychoanalysis with media and cultural studies in order to explore issues of political representation, with a particular focus on race and racism.
Jack completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Loughborough University before joining Sheffield Hallam in 2014. His academic journey included teaching positions at the University of Leicester, Nottingham Trent University, and Loughborough University.
Jack’s research spans diverse topics, including sport, comedy, political ecology, and nationalism, through an array of qualitative methodologies. He is the author of 'The Psychosis of Race: A Lacanian Approach to Racism and Racialization' (Routledge, 2023), 'Race, Racism and Political Correctness in Comedy: A Psychoanalytic Exploration' (Routledge, 2021), and co-editor of 'Sport and Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals about Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies, and Fears' (Lexington Books, 2024) and 'Sport and Physical Activity in Catastrophic Environments' (Routledge, 2022).
Previously, Jack was involved in the UKRI/AHRC-funded project, 'Tackling Online Hate in Football', which examined the dynamics of online hate across digital platforms. He continues to publish in this area.
At present, Jack is Associate Editor for the 'International Journal of the Sociology of Leisure' and 'Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society', underscoring his role as a leading voice in interdisciplinary and critical research.
Teaching
School of Sport and Physical Activity
College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences
Subject Area
- Sport and the Social Sciences
Courses taught
Jack teaches across the School of Sport and Physical Activity.
Modules
- Sport and the Media
- Sport Journalism
㽶Ƶ
- Culture and Creativity 㽶Ƶ Institute
Race, Racism and Political Correctness in Comedy
Sport, Politics and National Identity in the UK
Tackling Online Hate in Football (AHRC/IRC)
Racial Psychosis and the Horror Genre
The Political Ecology of Cycling
Publications
Journal articles
Black, J., & Johanssen, J. (2025). . Theory, Culture & Society.
Black, J. (2025). . Howard Journal of Communications, 1-19.
Black, J., Lynn, T., Rodrigo-Jusue, I., & Kilvington, D. (2025). . New Media & Society.
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2025). . International Review for the Sociology of Sport.
Black, J., Reynoso, J.S., Bernstein, B., Cushman, D., Dabbous, R., Dodd, Z., ... Wittmann, K. (2025). . Cogent Social Sciences, 11 (1).
Black, J. (2025). . Sport, Ethics and Philosophy.
Black, J., Cherrington, J., & Clevenger, S. (2025). . European Journal of Cultural Studies.
Black, J., Cherrington, J., Graeff, B., Hokowhitu, B., & Thorpe, H. (2025). . International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 60 (8), 1553-1569.
Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (2025). . Cogent Social Sciences: Sport and Psychoanalysis, 11 (1).
Rodrigo-Jusué, I., Liston, K., Doidge, M., Black, J., Sinclair, G., Fletcher, T., ... Lynn, T. (2025). . Feminist Media Studies.
Black, J. (2025). . Theory & Psychology, 35 (1), 117-135.
Black, J. (2024). . Social Science Computer Review.
Sinclair, G., Kearns, C., Liston, K., Kilvington, D., Black, J., Doidge, M., ... Lynn, T. (2024). . Journalism Studies.
Black, J., Kearns, C., & Sinclair, G. (2024). . Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 48 (3-4), 145-164.
Doidge, M., Rodrigo-Jusue, I., Black, J., Fletcher, T., Sinclair, G., Rosati, P., ... Lynn, T. (2024). . Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.
Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (2024). . Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society, 29, 145-159.
Black, J. (2023). . Crisis & Critique, 10 (2), 30-54.
Black, J. (2023). . Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society.
Kearns, C., Sinclair, G., Black, J., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kilvington, D., ... Santos, G.L. (2023). International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 59 (4), 479-501.
Black, J., Fletcher, T., Doidge, M., Kearns, C., Kilvington, D., Liston, K., ... Sinclair, G. (2023). . Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Black, J. (2023). . Postdigital Science and Education.
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2023). . Mobilities.
Black, J. (2023). . CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, 24 (4).
Black, J., & Cherrington, J. (2022). . Theory & Event, 25 (4), 726-750.
Kearns, C., Sinclair, G., Black, J., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kilvington, D., ... Rosati, P. (2022). . Communication & Sport, 11 (2), 402-430.
Black, J. (2022). . Philosophy World Democracy.
Black, J. (2022). . Diacritics, 48 (4), 76-101.
Black, J. (2021). . Galactica Media: Journal of Media Studies, 3 (3), 110-121.
Black, J., Lake, R.J., & Fletcher, T. (2021). . Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society.
Black, J., & Cherrington, J. (2021). . Environmental Philosophy.
Black, J. (2020). . Sport in Society.
Black, J. (2020). . Free Associations: Psychoanalysis and Culture, Media, Groups, Politics, (80), 121-131.
Black, J. (2020). . Contours: Journal of the SFU Humanities Institute, 10 (Fall).
Black, J. (2020). . Memory Studies.
Black, J. (2020). . Distinktion: Journal of Social Theory, 1-16.
Black, J. (2020). . Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society.
Black, J. (2020). . International Journal of Žižek Studies, 14 (2), 1-22.
Black, J. (2020). . Leisure Sciences, 1-7.
Black, J., Fletcher, T., & Lake, R.J. (2020). . Nations and Nationalism, 1-20.
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2020). . International Journal of the Sociology of Leisure, 3 (1), 71-93.
Black, J., & Cherrington, J. (2020). . International Journal of Žižek Studies, 14 (1), 1-26.
Whigham, S., & Black, J. (2019). . European Journal for Sport and Society.
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2019). . World Futures: The Journal of New Paradigm 㽶Ƶ.
Black, J. (2019). . Rethinking Marxism, 31 (4), 532-535.
Black, J. (2019). . Quarterly review of film and video.
Black, J. (2019). . European Journal of Cultural Studies.
Black, J. (2018). . Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science 㽶Ƶ.
Black, J. (2018). . Critical Studies on Terrorism.
Cherrington, J., Black, J., & Tiller, N. (2018). . Annals of Leisure 㽶Ƶ, 1-21.
Whigham, S., & Black, J. (2018). . The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 20 (2), 360-378.
Black, J. (2018). . Rethinking History, 22 (1), 3-24.
Black, J., & Whigham, S. (2017). . Journalism.
Black, J., & Fielding-Lloyd, B. (2017). . International Review for the Sociology of Sport.
Black, J. (2016). . International Review of Sociology, 27 (1), 202-224.
Black, J. (2016). . Media, Culture & Society, 38 (7), 979-996.
Black, J. (2016). . Nations and Nationalism, 22 (4), 786-802.
Maguire, J., Black, J., & Darlington, B. (2015). . Sociology of Sport Journal, 32 (2), 117-139.
Black, J., & Ewen, N. (2013). . Sport in History, XXII, 302-324.
Kilvington, D., Liston, K., Fletcher, T., Black, J., Lynn, T., Sinclair, G., ... Doidge, M. (n.d.). . Soccer and Society.
Black, J. (n.d.). . The Communication Review.
Book chapters
Santos, G.L., dos Santos, V.G., Kearns, C., Sinclair, G., Black, J., Doidge, M., ... Lynn, T. (2025). Detecting Homophobic Speech in Soccer Tweets Using Large Language Models and Explainable AI. In Lecture Notes in Computer Science. (pp. 489-504). Springer Nature Switzerland:
Black, J. (2025). . In Routledge Resources Online – Race and Racism. Routledge
Fletcher, T., Kearns, C., Kilvington, D., Sinclair, G., Lynn, T., Black, J., ... Rosati, P. (2025). . In Billings, A., & Hardin, M. (Eds.) Routledge Handbook of Sport and Social Media. (pp. 58-72). Routledge:
Black, J. (2024). . In Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (Eds.) Sport and Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals about Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies, and Fears. (pp. 245-265). Lanham: Lexington Books:
Black, J. (2024). . In Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (Eds.) Sport and Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals about Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies, and Fears. (pp. 245-265). Lanham: Lexington Books:
Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (2024). . In Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (Eds.) Sport and Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals about Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies, and Fears. (pp. 1-22). Lanham: Lexington Books:
Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (2024). . In Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (Eds.) Sport and Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals about Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies, and Fears. (pp. 1-22). Lanham: Lexington Books:
Black, J. (2024). . In Whigham, S. (Ed.) Sport and Nationalism: Theoretical Perspectives. (pp. 118-132). London: Routledge:
Kilvington, D., Black, J., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kearns, C., Liston, K., ... Rosati, P. (2023). A critical analysis of past and present campaigns to challenge online racism in english professional football. In Hate Crime in Football how Racism is Destroying the Beautiful Game. (pp. 83-102).
Cherrington, J., Black, J., & Tiller, N. (2023). . In Melo, R., Van Rheenen, D., & Gammon, S. (Eds.) Nature Sports: Concepts and Practice. Routledge:
Black, J. (2023). . In Roberts, W., Whigham, S., Culvin, A., & Parnell, D. (Eds.) Critical Issues in Football: A Sociological Analysis of the Beautiful Game. Routledge:
Cherrington, J. (2022). . In Black, J., & Cherrington, J. (Eds.) Sport and Physical Activity in Catastrophic Environments. (pp. 129-147). Abingdon: Routledge:
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2022). . In Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (Eds.) Sport and Physical Activity in Catastrophic Environments. (pp. 1-18). Routledge:
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2022). . In Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (Eds.) Sport and Physical Activity in Catastrophic Environments. (pp. 1-18). Routledge:
Cherrington, J. (2022). . In Black, J., & Cherrington, J. (Eds.) Sport and Physical Activity in Catastrophic Environments. (pp. 129-147). Abingdon: Routledge:
Black, J. (2022). . In Lawrence, S. (Ed.) Digital Wellness, Health and Fitness Influencers. Critical Perspectives on Digital Guru Media. (pp. 35-51). Abingdon: Routledge:
Black, J. (2022). Football is 'the most important of the least important things': The Illusion of Sport and COVID-19. In Lashua, B., Johnson, C.W., & Parry, D.C. (Eds.) Leisure in the time of Coronavirus: A Rapid Response. Routledge:
Black, J., & Cherrington, J. (2020). . In Glover, T., & Sharpe, E. (Eds.) Leisure and its Communities: Rethinking Mutuality, Collective Expression, and Belonging in the New Century. Routledge
Black, J. (2015). . In Poynter, G., Viehoff, V., & Li, Y. (Eds.) The London Olympics and Urban Development: The Mega-Event City. (pp. 320-334). Abingdon: Routledge
Books
Norrito, A. (2025). Sport and physical activity in catastrophic environments. Informa UK Limited.
Black, J., & Reynoso, J.S. (Eds.). (2024). Sport and Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals about Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies, and Fears. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
Black, J. (2023). . London: Routledge.
Black, J. (2021). . Routledge.
Reports
Sinclair, G., Black, J., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kearns, C., Kilvington, D., ... Santos, G. (2025). . Tackling Online Hate in Football.
Liston, K., Fletcher, T., Black, J., Doidge, M., Kearns, C., Kilvington, D., ... Lynn, T. (2025). Football and the Problem of Online Hate: Workshop with Manchester United Women's Team, Under-21s. Tackling Online Hate in Football (TOHIF).
Kilvington, D., Black, J., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kearns, C., Santos, G., ... Sinclair, G. (2025). The Sports Media, Online Harms and Response(s) To It: A Short Report for Sky Sports News. Tackling Online Hate in Football (TOHIF).
Bairner, A., Black, J., Bowes, A., & Whigham, S. (2021). . Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Matthews, C.R., Channon, A., & Black, J. (2015). . The British Sociological Association (BSA).
Internet Publications
Çetinkaya, B., & Black, J. (2025). Uzmanlar, İngiltere'de iktidarın göç konusunda aşırı sağcı siyasetin etkisinde olduğunu düşünüyor/Experts say the UK government is under the influence of far-right politics on immigration. [Media Interview/Internet Publication].
Çetinkaya, B., & Black, J. (2025). Uzmanlar, İngiltere'de iktidarın göç konusunda aşırı sağcı siyasetin etkisinde olduğunu düşünüyor/Experts say the UK government is under the influence of far-right politics on immigration. [Media Interview/Internet Publication].
Black, J., & Sinclair, G. (2024). .
Black, J., Kearns, C., Sinclair, G., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kilvington, D., ... Rosati, P. (2023). .
Kearns, C., Sinclair, G., & Black, J. (2023). .
Black, J., Kearns, C., Sinclair, G., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kilvington, D., ... Lynn, T. (2023). .
Çetinkaya, B., & Black, J. (2023). UK political system produces politicians using immigration issue to win votes. [Media Interview/Internet Publication].
Çetinkaya, B., & Black, J. (2023). UK political system produces politicians using immigration issue to win votes. [Media Interview/Internet Publication].
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Black, J. (2021). .
Black, J. (2020). .
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Whigham, S., & Black, J. (2018). .
Presentations
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: Critical Sports Criminology Symposium, Newcastle, UK, 2025
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: Continental Philosophy Northwest 㽶Ƶ Network, University of Manchester, UK, 2025
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: The Psychoanalytic Subject in a Fractured World: Culture, Power, and the Politics of Existence, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 2025
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: A Culture of Psychosis, Edinburgh Napier University, 2025
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: 8th International Sport & Discrimination Conference, German Sport University Cologne, Germany, 2025
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: Hope and Despair: Crisis and Opportunity, Twickenham, UK, 2025
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: Sport and Physical Activity 㽶Ƶ Centre: 㽶Ƶ Seminar, 㽶Ƶ, UK, 2025
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: Lack v, Otterbein University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 2025
Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: Online Harms in Sport Symposium, Dublin, Ireland, 2025
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2025). . Presented at: The Sociology, Politics and Human Geography Seminar Series, Sheffield, UK, 2025
Black, J. (2024). . Presented at: Media, Film and Communications 㽶Ƶ Seminar, University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ, 2024
Black, J. (2024). . Presented at: Psychology & the Other, Northeastern University, London, UK, 2024
Black, J. (2024). . Presented at: Learning or not learning from experience: Psychosocial approaches to researching and experiential learnings, Twickenham, UK, 2024
Black, J., Sinclair, G., & Kearns, C. (2024). The Fetishization of Sport: Exploring the Effects of Fetishistic Disavowal in Sportswashing.
Black, J. (2023). . Presented at: "Orphans of the Real: Emerging from the Echo Chambers – Psychosocial Perspectives," Association for the Psychoanalysis of Culture & Society Annual Conference, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, 2023
Black, J. (2023). . Presented at: Representations of Race in Sports Journalism and Media, Sheffield, UK, 2023
Black, J. (2023). . Presented at: “The Impact of Professional Sport on Community,” Fourteenth International Conference on Sport & Society, Las Vegas, USA, 2023
Black, J. (2023). Sport and the Alt-Right: Woke Conspiracies during Euro 2020. Presented at: Sport and Physical Activity 㽶Ƶ Centre: 㽶Ƶ Seminar, 㽶Ƶ, UK, 2023
Black, J. (2023). Desire, Drive and the Melancholy of English Football: 'It’s (not) Coming Home'. Presented at: Critical Issues in Football: A Sociological Analysis of the Beautiful Games—Book Launch, Oxford, UK, 2023
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2022). Sport and Physical Activity in Catastrophic Environments (Book Launch). Presented at: Changing Places Seminar Series, 㽶Ƶ, UK, 2022
Black, J. (2022). . Presented at: Lacan: clinic & culture conference, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A, 2022
Black, J. (2022). . Presented at: Posthuman bodies and embodied posthumanisms: an interdisciplinary conference, Warwick, UK, 2022
Black, J. (2022). . Presented at: Candyman and the Whole Damn Swarm – A 30th Anniversary Conference, Sheffield, 2022
Black, J. (2022). . Presented at: Digital Mediation and Working Through in Times of Denial, Disavowal and Splitting: On the Un/Representable, Twickenham, UK, 2022
Kearns, C., Sinclair, G., Black, J., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kilvington, D., ... Rosati, P. (2022). . Presented at: The European Association for Sociology of Sport and the International Sociology of Sport Association World Congress of Sociology of Sport, Tübingen, Germany, 2022
Black, J. (2021). . Presented at: Nationalism and Irony Symposium, 㽶Ƶ, 2021
Black, J. (2021). . Presented at: ‘Psychosocial Bodies’, Association of Psychoanalysis Studies Conference, Virtual, 2021
Black, J. (2021). Race, Racism and Political Correctness in Comedy - A Psychoanalytic Exploration (Book Launch). Presented at: Transnational Popular Culture Seminar Series, 㽶Ƶ, UK, 2021
Black, J. (2019). . Presented at: Critical Issues in Contemporary Sport, Oxford, UK, 2019
Black, J. (2018). . Presented at: Diversity within events, tourism and hospitality, Leeds, UK, 2018
Black, J. (2018). . Presented at: Gender differentiation in media industries, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2018
Black, J. (2018). . Presented at: Changing the rules of the game? An interdisciplinary symposium examining the relationship between sport and media, Loughborough University, 2018
Black, J. (2017). . Presented at: Ali in Un/Expected Spaces, University of Turku, Turku, Finland, 2017
Black, J., & Whigham, S. (2015). . Presented at: BSA Annual Conference 2015, 2015
Black, J. (2014). . Presented at: BSA Annual Conference 2014, Leeds, UK, 2014
Black, J. (2013). . Presented at: Olympic Legacies: International Conference – Impacts of Mega-Events on Cities, University of East London, London, UK, 2013
Black, J. (2013). . Presented at: Formations and Representations of British National Identity, Warwick, UK, 2013
Black, J. (2013). . Presented at: Britishness in the 21st Century, Keele University, Keele, UK, 2013
Black, J. (2013). . Presented at: BSA Teaching Group Regional Day Conference, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK, 2013
Other publications
Black, J., & Reynoso, J. (2025). Jack Black and Joseph S. Reynoso eds., 'Sport and Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals about Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies, and Fears (Lexington Books, 2024)'. New Books Network:
Black, J., & Reynoso, J. (2025). Jack Black and Joseph S. Reynoso eds., 'Sport and Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals about Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies, and Fears (Lexington Books, 2024)'. New Books Network:
Black, J. (2025). Against Progress w/ Jack Black. Zizek & So On:
Black, J. (2025). Against Progress w/ Jack Black. Zizek & So On:
Black, J., & Reynosos, J. (2025). RU343: Jack Black & Joseph Reynoso on Sport & Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals About Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies & Fears.
Black, J., & Reynosos, J. (2025). RU343: Jack Black & Joseph Reynoso on Sport & Psychoanalysis: What Sport Reveals About Our Unconscious Desires, Fantasies & Fears.
Black, J. (2025). Can AI Lie? Chatbots, Language & Psychoanalysis (w/ Jack Black). RSam Podcast:
Black, J. (2025). RU324: Jack Black on The Psychosis of Race: A Lacanian Approach to Racism & Racialization. Rendering Unconscious: Podcast hosted by Psychoanalyst Dr. Vanessa Sinclair:
Black, J. (2024). Episode 6: Sportswashing and Online Hate. The TOHIF Podcast:
Black, J. (2024). Episode 6: Sportswashing and Online Hate. The TOHIF Podcast:
Black, J. (2024). Episode 5: The Role of Conspiracy Theories in Online Hate in Football. The TOHIF Podcast:
Black, J. (2024). Episode 5: The Role of Conspiracy Theories in Online Hate in Football. The TOHIF Podcast:
Black, J. (2024). Can Football Ever Come Home? Nostalgia, melancholia and the beautiful game ft. Jack Black. The FootPoll Podcast:
Black, J. (2024). Episode 2: Dr. Jack Black. Centre for Sport, Physical Activity and Health Equality (SPHERE) Podcast Series:
Black, J. (2023). Desire, Drive, and Football with Jack Black.
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2023). Sport and PA in Catastrophic Environments. The Sport and PA Policy Podcast:
Cherrington, J., & Black, J. (2023). Sport and Nature in Catastrophic Times.
Black, J. (2022). The Object of Horror: Gaze and Voice in Candyman. Gothic Centre, University of Sheffield:
Black, J. (2022). Zizek and Comedy with Jack Black (Part Two). Zizek & So On:
Black, J. (2022). Zizek and Comedy with Jack Black (Part One). Zizek & So On:
Black, J. (2021). Lacanian Analysis & Racist Jokes. PlasticPills: Philosophy & Critical Theory Podcast:
Black, J. (2021). 'Race, Racism and Political Correctness in Comedy – A Psychoanalytic Exploration', by Jack Black, interviewed by Lee Pierce. New Books Network:
Other activities
- Associate Editor, International Journal of the Sociology of Leisure
- Associate Editor, Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society
- External Examiner, University of Wolverhampton (2020-present)
- External Examiner, University of the Arts London (2023-present)
Postgraduate supervision
I am interested in offering PhD supervision for topics related to media/cultural studies; analyses of race/racism; and, political ecology in sport/leisure practices.
Current PhD Students:
Freya Collier-Sewell, 'Well prepared? Racism, whiteness and mental health nurse education in Scotland'.
Shanglin Li, 'Construction of Chinese naturalised athletes cultural and national identity across Chinese Social Media'.
Hannah Reynolds, 'A Critical Analysis of E-Mountain biking in The Third Age'.
Victory Oforji, 'Investigating the racial discrimination and bullying of marginalized student nurses'.
Michael Lodge
Danielle Nutter