Dr. Chris De Vrij

Biography

Chris De Vrij is a PhD Candidate and Teaching Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Queen's University. His research examines how leisure spaces serve as key sites for negotiating contemporary masculinity. Utilizing digital ethnography, in-person fieldwork, and interviews, his projects explore how men use hobbies such as motorcycling and private aviation to manage uncertainty and reassert their identities in a context often described as a 'crisis in masculinity.' His work investigates how class, culture, and digital media shape the norms, performances, and communities that emerge around these activities, highlighting how men make sense of their everyday practices related to risk, skill, consumption, and belonging. Ultimately, his research demonstrates that leisure acts as a terrain where gendered identities are built, challenged, and transformed.

Research Interests