Research Interests
Dr. Kluch's research agenda is centered on why and how individuals and organizations utilize sport as a platform to advance equity, inclusion, and social justice. Drawing from interpretive-humanistic and critical epistemological frameworks and using qualitative and critical methods, Dr. Kluch's research looks at the individual factors (e.g., identity, sense of belonging), cultural institutions (e.g., media), and systemic forces (e.g., racism, exclusion) that either prevent or empower individuals and organizations to engage in social justice efforts. Specific areas of research include (1) activism, sport, and social change, (2) inclusive sport policy, governance, and human rights, (3) experiences of minoritized groups in sport, and (4) strategic diversity/equity/inclusion efforts in sport. As a scholar-practitioner, Dr. Kluch has worked with organizations such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, USA Diving, and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee to remove barriers to racial and social justice in the sports industry.
Additional Campus Affiliations
Assistant Professor, Recreation, Sport and Tourism
Assistant Professor, European Union Center
Recent Publications
Wernick, L. J., Tice-Brown, D., Kluch, Y., Newman, T. J., Shute, L., Lerario, M. P., & Harrison, J. V. (Accepted/In press). Policing Gender and Sexuality in High School Sports: The Mediating Impact of Hearing Anti-LGBTQ + Language on High School Athletes’ Self-Esteem Across Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Race. Journal of Sport and Social Issues. https://doi.org/10.1177/01937235241239322
Cassilo, D., & Kluch, Y. (2023). Mental Health, College Athletics, and the Media Framing of D. J. Carton’s Announcement to Step Away From his Team. Communication and Sport, 11(3), 462-488. https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795211041019
Hums, M. A., Kluch, Y., Schmidt, S. H., & MacLean, J. C. (2023). Governance and Policy in Sport Organizations. (5 ed.) Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003303183
Kluch, Y., Anderson, S. M., & Ferguson, T. L. (2023). How Can Organizations Better Support Athletes? A Case Study of the Impact of COVID-19 on Minoritized Communities in Intercollegiate Sport. In T. L. Rentner, & D. P. Burns (Eds.), Social Issues in Sport Communication: You Make the Call (pp. 300-311). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003316763-30
Kluch, Y., Taylor, E. A., Wright-Mair, R., & Boring, D. (2023). “I Felt like . . . They Left Me to Fend for Myself”: A Mixed-Method Examination of Sense of Belonging among Minoritized Groups in Sport Academic Programs. Sport Management Education Journal, 17(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1123/SMEJ.2021-0014