Sport in Contemporary Society

Abstract

Course Description: This course will acquaint graduate students with some the diverse issues and concerns germane to contemporary sport and society. A comprehensive examination of the many topical socio-cultural issues that impact sport will be discussed during the semester. Course content will address the interactions between sport and designated societal variables such as women, race and ethnicity, deviance, violence, and socioeconomic status. A concerted effort will be made to acquaint students with the genesis of contemporary sport, as well as social theories employed to explain it. Student Learning Objectives: 1) Students will become acquainted with the pervasiveness of sport via assigned readings, lecture notes, miscellaneous handouts, audio-visual presentations, course projects, and class attendance. Periodic group discussions and random in-class questions will help assess students’ familiarity with the pervasiveness of sport. 2) Students will develop a fund of knowledge and a keen understanding of concepts and theories frequently employed to help analyze sport via assigned readings, course lecture notes, and class attendance. The Film Analysis project will help assess this objective. 3) Students will be exposed to a variety of instructional strategies to stimulate and enhance learning. Assigned readings, PowerPoint lecture notes, audio-visual presentations, group discussions, and class projects will be employed to facilitate learning. The end of the semester institutional course evaluation will help assess this objective. 4) Students will become active contributors to the course via individual assignments and collaborative activities with peers. The Chapter Summary-Oral Presentation and Film Analysis projects will assess students’ contributions to the course. 5) Students will demonstrate their understanding and mastery of course content via active recall on random questions in class, and their performance on the Final Examination organization, topics, and lessons provided in the full syllabi. Those teaching other sociology courses will find several stand-alone readings, lessons, and assignments. There are separate step-by-step instructions on conducting innovative and effective activities. The syllabi contain sections covering the major topics in the Sociology of Sport; including sections on theoretical underpinnings, youth and sports, race, and gender. Most of the syllabi are then rounded out with lessons examining media, globalization, deviance, collegiate sports, or professional sport.