Mark Rubinfeld
Foster 308
Office phone: 832-2430; Home phone: 364-1228
Office hours: Mondays – Thursdays
E-mail: mrubinfeld@westminstercollege.edu
Course
Description:
This course explores sports
as a significant cultural, political, and economic force in American society.
Focusing on both established and alternative sports, the course incorporates a
sociological perspective to critically examine how sports are organized,
played, experienced, observed, perceived, and critiqued in America.
Required Books (Available at the College Bookstore):
Coakley, Jay. 2009. Sports
in Society: Issues & Controversies. 10th ed., McGraw Hill.
Required Articles:
Adler Peter and Patricia A. “College Athletes and Role
Conflict”
Bilger, Richard. “Enter the Chicken”
Colloff, Pamela. “She’s Here, She’s Queer, She’s Fired”
Coyle, Daniel. “Peerless”
Dowling, Colette. “The Incredible Shrinking Woman”
Draper, Robert. “Pumping Irony”
Finkel, Michael. “Running Like
Hell”
Friedman, Steve. “Dogged”
Foley, Douglas E. “High School Football”
Garber, Greg. “A Tormented Soul”
Gilbert, Elizabeth. “Lucky Jim”
Haney, Travis. “More than Skin
Deep.”
Laskas, Jeanne Marie. “G-L-O-R-Y”
Macur, Juliet. “Please Let Me Die”
Plaschke, Bill. “Her Blue Heaven”
Robertson, Linda. “XXL”
Smith, Gary. “The Ball”
Sprawson, Charles. “Swimming with Sharks”
Thompson, Wendy. “Wives Incorporated”
Young, Charles M.: “Losing: An American Tradition”
Course Objectives
* To evaluate different theoretical frameworks for
critically analyzing sports.
* To explore sports as a significant cultural,
political, and economic force in American society.
* To learn how sports reflect, reinforce, and
challenge dominant American values.
* To examine the myths, paradoxes, and controversies
associated with sports.
* To study the racial, ethnic, class, sexual, gender,
and generational dimensions of sports.
* To consider different ways to reform and improve
sports.
Procedures and Course Outline:
This course utilizes a
variety of learning tools including readings, lectures, movies, video tapes,
class discussions, field trips, and small group exercises.
Assignments and Grading:
Your final grades will be
based on the following: a mid-term (30 percent of your final grade), a final
examination (30 percent of your final grade), two
formal papers (each worth 15 percent of your final grade), and a group
presentation (10 percent of your final grade). To pass the course, you must
complete all of the course assignments. Final course grades will based on the
percentage of total points earned: A
(93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B
(83-86), B- (80-82) C+ (77-79), C
(73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69),
D (63-66), D- (60-62), and F (below 60).
Mid-term and Final Exam: The
mid-term and final exam will include multiple choice, true-false, and short
essay questions covering information from the readings, lectures, videos, and
class discussions.
Two formal papers: You will
responsible for writing two formal papers, each four-to-six pages long (double
spaced), related to the class discussions, lectures, readings, themes, and
videos. Late papers will be accepted up to one week late with a ten-point penalty;
after one week, no late papers will be accepted. An absence on the day a paper
is due is not a valid reason for missing a deadline. It is your responsibility
to find someone to deliver the paper for you, or to e-mail a copy of the paper
to me on the due date.
Group presentation: You will
be placed into groups with each group giving a thirty-to-forty minute
presentation on a sport or sports-related issue not covered in class.
Class Participation and Attendance:
Class attendance, discussion,
and participation are significant components of the classroom experience. As
such, any student who misses more than six classes will not be able to get a
grade higher than a B for the class; if his or her final average is a B or
lower, he or she will lose one grade (e.g., B becomes a B-, B- becomes a C+,
etc.). Any student who misses nine or more classes will not be able to get a
grade higher than a C for this class, as well as lose one grade if his or her
final average is a C or lower. Any student who misses twelve or more classes
will not be able to pass this class. Exceptions to this grading policy due to legitimate medical or family emergencies
will need proper documentation and instructor’s approval. Although there is no
formal attendance policy for students who miss six or fewer classes, do know
that a significant number of questions on the midterm and final will
focus on class lectures and discussions. Furthermore, since I will be weighing
class participation in borderline grading situations, students who regularly
attend class and frequently participate in classroom discussions will have an
“edge” in achieving a higher, final grade. Finally, I reserve the option of
giving quizzes, assigning additional homework, or emending this syllabus as the
need arises.
Student-Student and Student-Faculty Relationship:
All students must be
respectful of other students. This means no talking while other students are
talking or trying to listen. Once class begins, no chatting, no reading, no sleeping in class. If you must eat, make sure it is a
“quiet” food. Leave your cell phones at home or, at the very least, make sure
that they are turned off. In other words, act appropriately for a college
class; if your actions create a distraction, you will be asked to leave. In
accordance with college policies, any acts of cheating or plagiarism will be
penalized to the severest extent. At any time, feel free to meet with me to
discuss readings, lectures, assignments, or other matters relevant to this
course. If you cannot meet with me during my scheduled office hours, I am also
available by appointment. It is especially important for you to see me early in
the semester if you are having difficulties with the course. Do not wait till
the end of the semester when there is little, if anything, I can do to help you
out. Finally, feel free to meet with me if you want to learn more about
pursuing sociology as a major or a minor, or, if you would like my assistance
incorporating sociological analysis into work that you are doing in classes
outside of sociology.
Group Presentations
Due to time constraints,
there are a number of sports and sports-related issues that we will not be able
to cover in the course. In order to provide you with an overview of some of
these, we will use group presentations that will: 1) allow us to cover more
material than we could normally cover through lectures and readings, 2) provide
you with a greater variety of viewpoints, and 3) afford you the opportunity to
experience working on a group project that includes public speaking.
Each group will be
responsible for reporting on the sociological significance of a particular
sport or sports-related issue not covered in the class. Groups will have 40
minutes (plus an additional five minutes for questions and answers) to report
on the sport or sports-related issue. The group should not try to cover all
aspects of the sport or sports-related issue but focus, instead, on a few of
the more pertinent points, emphasizing what it thinks the students should learn
about the social significance of the form. Sports not covered in class may
include, for example, soccer, cycling, NASCAR, bull-riding, diving, golf,
bowling, extreme skiing, and martial arts. Sports-related issues not covered in
class may include fan violence and/or riots, cheating scandals, groupies, “jock
culture,” and public financing of stadiums.
In presenting their material,
group members will need to focus on the sociological significance of the
sport or sports-related issue they have chosen, as well as to tie their presentation
to some of the major themes covered in the class and/or text.
Each member of the group must
participate in the oral presentation. All students in the group will receive
the same grade unless the group reports to me that one or more of its members
failed to participate or otherwise work cooperatively with the bulk of the
group members. It has been my experience that the best presentations are those
that involve the following:
Solid preparation: All group members should be equally prepared for the
presentation. This usually necessitates a clear delineation of member roles in
preparing for and conducting the presentation. Furthermore, it will take some
time to choose, edit, and organize the best video and/or audio clips related to
the presentations; don’t wait to the last minute. In addition, many of the best
presentations involve outside research or activity (e.g., interviewing band
members, bringing in a guest speaker, attending a large concert and videotaping
crowds, conducting on-campus surveys about students’ popular culture likes and
dislikes). The bottom line is that the format is up to each group. There are
only two limitations: that the presentation takes no more than 30 minutes (plus
5 minutes for questions and answers), and that it addresses the sociological
significance of a popular culture form not already covered in class.
Class activity and/or
handouts: Having the class take an
active role in at least part of the presentation (through handouts, posters,
transparencies, videos, or any other audio or visual aids that the group deems
useful) often results in better class attention and discussions. In presenting
your material, strive to be informative, engaging, and creative. Try to think
of different ways of involving the class into your presentation so that your
audience stays interested.
Introduction of the panel
members: You can make the group
presentation more personal by introducing yourselves at the beginning of your
presentation. This helps to lessen the “intimidation factor”, and to create an
atmosphere more conducive to audience participation. Furthermore, try not to
forget to establish eye contact with members of the audience, and to smile from
time to time. If you can, also try to avoid reading from your notes or cue
cards.
Careful time budgeting: Use your time wisely. Thirty minutes is not very
long for a presentation. While you should be prepared to use the entire time
for your presentation, this does not mean that you should try to cram as much
information or activities as possible into your presentation. It is better to
cover two well-developed points about a topic than to zip through ten confused
and disjointed points.
Expectations about
audience participation: Of course you
will do the best you can to encourage participation and discussion from the
class. However, the burden of responsibility is not entirely yours. The rest of
the class is also responsible for ensuring that the group presentations are an
engaging and rewarding experience for everyone involved. This entails: 1)
listening attentively (showing respect for speakers), 2) taking part in the
discussion and/or activity, and 3) preparing at least one question or comment
to share with the class during the question and answer period.
Grading: As previously mentioned, each member in the group
receives the same grade. The final grade will be based on the following
criteria: 1) substance or content, 2) creativity and resourcefulness (use of
materials, exercises, activities, etc.), and 3) form and style (articulation, length,
organization, preparedness, etc.). If there are any problems with one or more
group members not contributing to group meetings or to the group work, first
try to approach the member(s) with your concerns and, if that fails, notify me
as soon as possible. If the group consensus is that one or more members of the
group are not participating to the satisfaction of the group, the
non-participating member or members will not get credit for the assignment, and
receive a zero for their group presentation grade. This ensures that the group
is not penalized for the lack of preparation of any of its members and that no
group member or members receive credit for the work that others are doing.
Having
fun: Education does not always have
to be a chore. In addition to
learning new material, this is an opportunity to develop public speaking
skills, gain self-confidence, make new friends, and have some fun. This is your
time to teach and to reach. This is also an excellent opportunity to be daring
and creative. Go for it!
COURSE OUTLINE
|
Week |
Topic |
Assignments |
|
1 |
Introduction to Sports and
Society |
No readings or assignments
due. |
|
2 |
The Sociology of Sports |
Wednesday January 14 Chapter 1 in Sports in Society: “The Sociology of Sport:
What Is It and Why Study It?” (and) Richard Bilger’s
“Enter the Chicken.” |
|
3 |
The Sociology of Sports (and) Sports and Socialization |
Tuesday January 20 (Academic Monday) Greg Garber’s “A Tormented
Soul.” Wednesday January 21 Chapter 4 in Sports in Society: “Sports and
Socialization: Who Plays and What Happens to Them?” (and) Bill Plaschke’s
“Her Blue Heaven” |
|
4 |
Sports and Socialization (and) Sports and Education |
Monday January 26 Charles M. Young’s “Losing:
An American Tradition” (and) Douglas E. Foley’s “High
School Football” Wednesday January 28 Chapter 14 in Sports in Society: “Sports in High
School and College: Do Varsity Sports Programs Contribute to Education?” (and) Peter and Patricia A.
Adler’s “College Athletics and Role Conflict) |
|
5 |
Deviance in Sports (and) Sports and Violence |
Monday February 2 Chapter 6 in Sports in Society: “Deviance in
Sports: Is It Out of Control?” (and) Linda Robertson’s “XXL” Wednesday February 4 Michael Finkel’s
“Running Like Hell” (and) Juliet Macur’s
“Please Let Me Die” |
|
6 |
Sports and Violence (and) Field Trip |
Monday February 9 Chapter 7 in Sports in Society: “Violence in
Sports: How Does It Affect Our Lives?” Wednesday February 11 *** FIELD TRIP *** (Details
to be Announced) |
|
7 |
Introduction to Sports and
Gender (and) Midterm Exam Review |
Wednesday February 18 Midterm Exam Review |
|
8 |
Midterm Exam (and) Sports and Gender |
Monday March 2 ***MIDTERM EXAM** Wednesday March 4 Chapter 8 in Sports in Society: “Gender and Sports:
Does Equity Require Ideological Changes?” (and) Wendy Thompson’s “Wives
Incorporated.” |
|
9 |
Sport and Gender (and) Sports and Sexuality (and) Race and Ethnicity in
Sports |
Monday March 9 Jeanne Marie Laskas’ “G-L-O-R-Y” (and) “Colette Dowling’s The
Incredible Shrinking Woman” (and) Pamela Colloff’s
“She’s Here, She’s Queer, She’s Fired” (and) *** PAPER DUE: TOPIC I *** Wednesday March 11 Chapter 9 in Sports in Society: “Race and Ethnicity:
Are They Important in Sports?” (and) Travis Haney’s “More than
Skin Deep” (and) ***Top Three Choices for
Group Presentations*** |
|
10 |
Race and Ethnicity in
Sports |
Monday March 16 No (Work on upcoming papers: Topics
II, III, and/or IV, as well as start preparing for next month’s group
presentations) |
|
11 |
Social Class in Sports (and) Sports and Economics |
Monday March23 Chapter 10 in Sports in Society: “Social Class: Do
Money and Power Matter in Sports?” (and) Gary Smith’s “The Ball” (and) *** PAPER DUE: TOPIC II *** Wednesday March 25 Robert Draper’s “Pumping
Irony.” |
|
12 |
Sports and Politics (and) Recreational, Alternative,
and Extreme Sports |
Monday March 30 Chapter 13 in Sports in Society: “Sports and
Politics: How do Governments and Globalization Influence Sports” (and) Charles Sprawson’s
“Swimming with Sharks” Wednesday April 1 Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Lucky
Jim” (and) *** PAPER DUE: TOPIC III
*** |
|
13 |
Recreational, Alternative, and
Extreme Sports (and) The Future of Sports |
Monday April 5 Daniel Coyle’s “Peerless” (and) Steve Friedman’s “Dogged” Wednesday April 8 Chapter 16 in Sports in Society: “The Future of
Sports” |
|
14 |
Group Presentations
Preparations (and) Group Presentations |
Monday April 13 Group Presentation
Preparations Wednesday April 15 Group Presentations (and) *** PAPER DUE: TOPIC IV *** |
|
15 |
Group Presentations (and) Final Exam Review (and) Final Class |
Monday April 20 Group Presentations Wednesday April 22 Group Presentations (and) Final Class (Group Presentation Grades, Final Exam
Review, Class Wrap-up) |
***FINAL EXAM is scheduled for Monday, April 27th, 2:00-4:00 p.m.***