Sociology of Games and Competition Syllabus

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-26-2010

Publication Title

Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology (TRAILS)

Abstract

Syllabus written by Dr. Nancy Malcom for Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology (TRAILS)

Introduction to the Course: Most of us think of sport as a leisure activity that serves to take our minds off of the serious business of life. But sport itself is serious business. This course will focus on sport as a social institution. During the course of the semester, we will investigate what does and does not qualify as sport. We will examine cultural values pertaining to sport and how these values are transmitted to individuals—both participants and spectators. We will focus on issues of stratification within sport and among sports, questioning the extent to which sport takes place on a level playing field and paying particular attention to power issues by investigating the experiences of the economically disadvantaged, racial and ethnic minorities, women, and homosexuals in sport. Finally, we will look at sport as a profit-driven industry, generating enormous wealth for some and, perhaps, tremendous hardship and burden for others.

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