SOCY 1200 [Sections TR2 & TR95]
Sociology of Sports
Fall 2019
TTH 09:30-10:45AM 112RE RA
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Johnson
OFFICE: 3501 James Hall
OFFICE HOURS: Thursday: 11:00 —12:15 and by appointment
EMAIL: lawrencej@brooklyn.cuny.edu
“The affirmation of democracy requires the denial of colonialism, but denying it does not make it go away.” ~ Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz
About this course:
This course takes a critical examination of sports and society from the standpoint of nation formation. Sports as a product of history are inherently political and a product of culture, power relations, and society. Common social beliefs: democracy, merit, rights, and nationality are troubled from the perspective of the United States rooted in settler-colonialism and sports as a site of conflict and potential social change. This course requires a view of sports that is necessarily different from what is typically expressed in mainstream media.
Because this is an introductory level course the basic goal is for students to demonstrate a sociological perspective. One does not need to be a sports fan or to even know a lot about sports. Conversely, an encyclopedic knowledge of sports does not necessarily give one an advantage in the course. All students will be assessed by their ability to examine the context of society, social issues, and themselves that arise in the world of sports.
Course objectives:
- Demonstrate a sociological perspective about the role of sports in society
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of a specific sports related social issue
- Demonstrate an understanding of one’s subjectivity in relation sports
Required texts:
All readings and other course materials have been made available via the Open Educational Resources Initiatives (OER) and are accessible via the Readings & Schedule page here.
Header image: Good Free Photos, public domain
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Special thanks to the CUNY Office of Academic Affairs, the CUNY Office of Library Services, Brooklyn College Administration and Professor Miriam Deutch, Coordinator, Brooklyn College Open Educational Resources Initiative. Site design and formatting by Colin McDonald, OER Developer.
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