Instagram story viewer> @jojomellis> Tagged

Johanna Mellis

@jojomellis

undefined

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Thanks, Chicago! I had the honor and joy of presenting on a panel with @anna.posbergh and @jojomellis titled, “Improvising and Negotiating Power In, Over, and Through Bodies: The Imperial, Gendered, and Racialized Olympics,” with the legendary Jules Boykoff as our commentator. I presented my paper, “Hair Dye, Piercings, and Gold: an autoethnographic account of Asian American aspiration in elite figure skating.”I have such deep gratitude for our generous audience members: thank you for your celebration and thought-provoking questions. After a tough first couple months of the PhD program, it was so soul-filling to share space with such brilliant, generous folks in the sport studies world. Extra big thank you to @sportsstudiescaucusasa!!

Being at home and in community with such brilliant scholars made this trip more than worth it. At the same time, I am disappointed by the way that the American Studies Association has handled the UNITE HERE local 1 labor union actions and strikes across the city. As critical scholars who claim justice-oriented praxis, we could have taken a more assertive, collective stance against labor exploitation. Instead, we continued, business as usual, to maintain our status-quo as academics. I am hopeful for the future of the field, and yet leaving with more questions and concerns than answers.

#gradschool #figureskating #phdstudent #olympics #americanstudies

29

3

The Running Man turns sport and entertainment into tools of authoritarian power.

43

2

Media’s role in authoritarianism

26

1

The 1987 Running Man isn’t just dystopian sci-fi. It’s a warning about sports, media, and power turning violence into entertainment.
When does a game stop being a game?

25

0

The Running Man

@ausmccoy joins to explore the dystopian themes of the 1987 film and its relation to contemporary issues of authoritarianism, media control, and sports.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6kqY9K8DfVMPTGh1UbKzXn?si=aigICIR9SOSe5B28WLsvHg&utm_source=copy-link

7

0

Breaking Gender Barriers in Track & Field

Lauren Kuntz joins to discuss her efforts to innovate women’s multi-events in T&F.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6mFdtnRSolwqlCtqvXlQ9c?si=4ViylsEbRMWqW-EUzb4gHA&utm_source=copy-link

49

2

OLF - ICE is Kidnapping College Athletes (and more)

The team discusses the abduction of Aminata Seck, ASU hockey, the NIKE Elite camp cover up, and pet peeves.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5hnYDwIfsYezBgwPncJFaA?si=ZHd-GAM6R8eXGRyYQF2Fuw&utm_source=copy-link

23

0

Bodily sacrifice is stupid, and it’s just capitalism

24

2

@nkalamb on the Predatory Recruitment of International Students

14

5

Was honored that the folks @redemmas invited me to participate in the @baltimorebookfestival this year! I had a wonderful time talking with @skiz57 about Living in a DAISY Age and folks asked some great questions.

It was great catching up with @meg_berkobien and @maximillian.alvarez ! It had been too long!

Thanks to SKIZ for facilitating the conversation! It was an honor.

Very happy that @jojomellis and I got to meet @djkquick , who made this sweet poster!

So happy that my beloved @jojomellis got to come celebrate the book with me 😊🥰🫠

Some of the zines I got from @redemmas

109

10

Gambling and Professional Running

Friend of the pod @hborenstein23 joins to unpack the complex relationship between track and field, gambling, integrity, and athlete welfare.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/10bWCp6aWywZTaQC4IlXwU?si=L0vOGGLmSZKxak7OckUG8g&utm_source=copy-link

26

1

ICE abducted a WBB player while she was traveling with her Kentucky State team in early August at Louisville airport.

She has been imprisoned for 1.5 months and denied care for a serious ACL injury.

It is the responsibility of universities and the NCAA to protect their players.

They have failed.

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/louisville/2026/09/19/ksu-basketball-aminata-seck-detained-by-ice-at-louisville-airport/91796072007/

55

3