Physical contact under surveillance: cultural norms, visibility and teacher self-regulation ın Türkiye

Physical contact in physical education represents a complex pedagogical practice shaped not only by instructional needs but also by broader social, cultural, and professional expectations. In contexts where bodily interaction may be subject to social interpretation and potential misunderstanding, teachers continuously negotiate appropriate forms of pedagogical touch. Although previous research has primarily examined physical contact through risk and no-touch discourses, less attention has been paid to how teachers negotiate pedagogical touch within broader conditions of visibility and normative expectation. This study aims to explore how physical education teachers in Türkiye negotiate pedagogical touch within overlapping normative climates shaped by cultural expectations, social interpretation, and perceived visibility.

This qualitative study was designed using a phenomenological approach. The study was conducted with eight physical education teachers working in different regions of Türkiye. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

The analysis generated three themes: (1) surveillance and normative regulation, (2) subjectification, and (3) rthe maintaining and reorganizing of pedagogical contact. While some teachers became increasingly cautious and reorganized instruction through indirect strategies such as objects, peer support, and technological mediation, others continued to view physical contact as pedagogically necessary in situations involving learning, safety, and care. The findings further suggest that teachers' self-regulation was shaped not only through formal institutional expectations but also through professional ethics, experiential learning, and broader normative climates.

The findings suggest that pedagogical touch in physical education has not disappeared but has become increasingly negotiated within broader relations of visibility, ethics, and social interpretation. The study contributes to existing literature by distinguishing between institutional monitoring, social interpretation, media discourse, digital visibility, and broader normative expectations rather than treating them as identical forms of surveillance. The findings also highlight the importance of context-sensitive professional guidance that supports pedagogical judgment and child protection without reinforcing defensive no-touch practices.