A Paradox of Plenty: An Abundance Dilemma in Physical and Health Education

Abstract

This paper examines the growing “abundance affliction” in physical and health education (PHE) scholarship, characterized by the rapid expansion of professional organizations, conferences, journals, and digital dissemination platforms. While this proliferation reflects a vibrant and innovative field, it also produces increasing fragmentation, financial burden, and challenges to scholarly coherence. Drawing on personal vignettes from both a Canadian graduate student and an associate professor, the paper illustrates how abundance shapes academic decision-making, professional identity, and the capacity to collaborate meaningfully within PHE.

The paper analyzes the expanding organizational, publication, and digital landscape of PHE, identifying both the benefits and the accompanying risks of having so many options for PHE scholarship dissemination and networking. Empirical evidence from bibliometric studies demonstrates that scholarship is increasing in volume but remains thematically and geographically siloed. The paper concludes by proposing strategies to enhance coherence and collaboration, including inter-organizational coordination, centralized digital infrastructure, expanded digital knowledge mobilization, and supports for equitable participation. These approaches aim to ensure that the field leverages its abundance to strengthen, rather than fracture, PHE scholarship globally.