Alex Dumas

Alex Dumas holds a doctorate in kinesiology (sociology) from the Université de Montréal and completed postdoctoral studies in the department of sociology (formerly the faculty of social and political sciences) at the University of Cambridge. He teaches the sociology of health, the sociology of sport, qualitative research methodology, the history of sport and gerontology.

Professor Dumas is accepting new students for thesis supervision.

• Sociology (health, body, sport)
• Social inequalities
• Perinatal health (physical activity and nutrition)
• Sports-study programs

Professor Dumas’ work looks mainly at social inequalities in health and educational inequalities. Using sociological and mixed method approaches, his research aims to shed light on public policy. Currently, his work has two main areas of focus. Firstly, using biosocial and interdisciplinary frameworks to study inequalities in perinatal health. This research mainly examines the influence of social position on health-care practices, including with regard to nutrition and physical activity during pregnancy. Secondly, examining educational inequalities and analyzing public-private partnerships between sport and education circles, in particular, their effect on families and society.

Learn more about Professor Dumas’ work.

• 2024–2028. Dumas, A., Fontaine-Bisson, B., Carbonneau, É. Porter la vie, porter la faim : l’urgence d’une équité nutritionnelle en contexte périnatal. Study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
• 2020–2025. Dumas, A. and Papin, B. Le double projet sportif et scolaire du programme sport-études au Québec. Comprendre ce qui fonctionne, pour qui, et dans quelles circonstances. Study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
• 2019–2023. Dumas, A. and Fontaine-Bisson, B. Better understanding for better intervening: a social nutrition approach towards vulnerable pregnant mothers. Study funded by Sodexo, the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Selected publications (*with student collaborators)

• Labonté JM, Dumas A, Clark E, Savard C, Fournier K, O’Connor S, Morisset AS, Fontaine-Bisson B (2024) Structural vulnerability factors and gestational weight gain: a scoping review on the extent, range, and nature of the literature. Research Square, peer-reviewed and recommended by PCI Health & Movement Sciences.
• Dumas, A., Fontaine-Bisson, B. (2024). La nutrition sociale périnatale : une approche en développement pour une profession en évolution, Nutrition, vol 3., no. 1, 38-44.
• Carbonneau, E., Dumas, A., Lepage, S., Dumas, A.A. Fontaine-Bisson, B., (2024). A Perinatal Social Nutrition Approach to Improve Breastfeeding in a Culturally Diverse Group of Low-Income Women, Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
• *Carbonneau, E., Dumas, A., Brodeur-Doucet, A., Fontaine-Bisson, B. A. (2022). Community Prenatal Intervention in Social Nutrition: Evaluating the Impact on Pregnancy and Birthweight Outcomes. Nutrients. 14(1151).
• Perrin, C., Dumas, A.,  Vieille-Marchiset, G. (2021). L’activité physique comme objet de santé publique: fabrique, diffusion et réception des nouvelles normes de santé active. SociologieS. Février.
• *Clark, E., Dumas, A. (2021). Le déclin du jeu actif à l’extérieur. La « bonne mère » et son organisation du temps libre des enfants. SociologieS. Février.
• *Clark, E., Dumas, A. (2020). Children’s active outdoor play: ‘good mothering’ and the organization of children’s free time. Sociology of Health and Illness. 42(2): 1229-1242.
• *Smith, A., Dumas, A., (2019). Class-based masculinity, cardiovascular health and rehabilitation. Sociology of Health and Illness. 42(2) 303-324.
• *Audet, M., Dumas, A., *Binette, R. Dionne, I. (2017). Lifestyle inequalities: Preventing chronic diseases in clinically overweight women after menopause. Qualitative Health Research, 27(10) 1541-1552.
• *Audet, M, Dumas, A, *Binette, R, Dionne, IJ. (2017). Women,weight, poverty and menopause : understanding health practices in a context of chronic disease prevention. Sociology of Health and Illness. 39(8)1412-1426.
• *Audet, M., Paris, M, Garon, S, Dumas. (2017). Discours public de prévention et inégalités sociales de santé chez les aînés: Réflexions critiques et nouvelles perspectives en développement des communautés. Lien social et Politiques. Vo. 78, 254-273.
• Stacey, D., Jull, J. Beach, Sarah, Dumas, A., Strychar, I., Adamo. K., Brochu, M., Prud’homme, D. (2015). Middle-aged women's decisions about body weight management: A needs assessment and testing of a knowledge translation tool. Menopause.22(4): 414-422.
• Dumas, A., Turner, B.S.(2015). Human longevity, utopia and solidarity. The Sociological Quarterly. 56 (1): 1-17.
• Jull, J., Stacey, D., Beach, S., Dumas, A., Strychar, I., Ufholz, L.-A., Prince, S., Abdulnour, J., Prud'homme, D.-G.,. (2014). Lifestyle interventions targeting body weight changes during the menopause transition: a systematic review. Journal of Obesity.
• *Dumas, A., Bergeron, C., Savage, M. (2015) Position sociale et style de vie. La variation sociale des pratiques de santé après un incident cardiaque. Recherches Sociographiques, 56 (2-3) 437-461.
• Keays, G., Dumas, A. (2014).  Longboard and skateboard injuries, Injury. International Journal of the Care of the Injured,45(8):1215-19.
• Dumas, A., *Robitaille, J., Jette, S., (2014). Lifestyle as a choice of necessity. Young women, health and obesity, Social Theory & Health, 12: 138–158.
• Dumas, A. *Savage, M., Stuart, S., (2014). Understanding anti-normative lifestyles: Underprivileged men’s lives after a heart incident. Health : an Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, 18(5): 458-475.
• Turner, B.S., Dumas, A., (2013). Vulnerability, diversity and scarcity: on universal rights, Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 16(4) : 663-670.
• *Audet, M., Dionne, I.J, Dumas, A, (2013). Promouvoir la santé chez les femmes vieillissantes: Pourquoi se préoccuper des inégalités sociales? Vie et Vieillissement, 10(4) 42-46.
• *Savage, M., Dumas, A., Stuart, S. (2013). Fatalism and short-termism as cultural barriers to cardiac rehabilitation amongst underprivileged men, Sociology of Health and Illness, 35(8), 1211-26.
• Dumas, A., *Gagnon, I., (2012) [2014] Masculinité, pauvreté et réadaptation cardiaque: le fardeau des hommes qui occupent des métiers de la route, Revue de l’Université de Moncton, 43(1-2):  163-184.
• Dumas, A., Turner, B.S. (2009). Foucault, Bourdieu et le corps âgé. Deux avenues prometteuses en sociologie du corps, Corps. Revue interdisciplinaire, 7(2): 91-97.
• Dumas, A., Laforest, S., (2009). Skateparks as a health-resource: Are they as dangerous as they look? Leisure Studies, 28(1): 19-34.
• Dumas, A., Turner, B.S. (2007). The life extension project: A sociological critique, Health Sociology Review. 16(1), 5-17.
• Dumas, A., Laberge, S. (2005). Older women's relation to bodily appearance: The embodiment of social and biological conditions of existence, Ageing and Society, 25 (6) 883-902.
• Dumas, A., Laberge, S. (2005). Social class and ageing bodies: understanding physical activity in later life. Social Theory & Health, 3(3) 183-205.

Books

• Turner, B.S. and Dumas, A. (2016). L’antivieillissement. Vieillir à l’ère des nouvelles biotechnologies. Québec: Presses de l’Université Laval.

Book chapters (*with student collaborators)

• Brosnan, C., Dumas, A. (2018). Health and medical technology. In J. Germov and J. Noble (eds.). Second Opinion. An introduction to health sociology. 6th edition. Oxford University Press.
• Dumas, A., Turner, B.S. (2013) Statecraft and Soulcraft: Foucault on Prolonging Life,  In W.C. Cockerham (ed.) Health Sociology on the Move: New Directions in Theory. Dordrecht: Springer, p. 61-81.
• Dumas, A. and Laforest, S. (2013) Comprendre l’offre publique d’activités physiques et sportives : l’approche générationnelle appliquée à la planche à roulettes, In R. Roult, S. Lefebvre et J.-P. Augustin (éds.) Les nouvelles territorialités du sport dans la ville. Enjeux actuels et perspectives d'avenir. Montréal, Presses de l’Université du Québec, p. 139-157.
• Dumas, A. (2012) Rejecting the aging body, In B.S. Turner (ed.) Routledge International Handbook of Body Studies. New-York: Taylor and Francis, p. 375-388.
• *Dumas, A. and Bournival, E., (2011) Men, masculinities and health. Theory and application. In Jason Laker (ed.) Canadian Perspectives on Men and Masculinities. An Interdisciplinary Reader, Toronto: Oxford University Press, p. 33-51.
• Dumas, A. and Turner, B.S. (2009). Aging in Post-Industrial Societies: Intergenerational conflict and solidarity. In J. Powell & J. Hendrick (eds.). The Welfare State and Postindustrial Society: A Global Analysis, New York, NY, Springer, p. 41-56.
• Dumas A, Turner B S. (2009). Vivre ou survivre. Conséquences sociales du discours prolongéviste contemporain. In S. Yaya (Ed.). Pouvoir médical et santé totalitaire : conséquences socio-anthropologiques et éthiques. Québec: Presses de l’Université Laval, p. 277-297.
• Dumas A, Turner B S. (2006). Age and Ageing: the social world of Foucault and Bourdieu. JL Powell and A. Wahidin (ed.). Foucault and Ageing. New York: Nova Press p.145-155.