Course Description:
Sport is a microcosm of society, therefore individuals and groups involved in sport are affected by and can affect broader social ideology and systems of power. What’s more, sports figures are among the most influential ‘players’ in our society; they hold more power than we might acknowledge. In this class, students will develop a better understanding of social issues in sport and change-making. We’ll investigate the historical intersections of sports and society; how we build connection to sports figures; and ultimately, how we make them into our heroes as we navigate much of what society gives us to think about: politics, religion, gender, sexuality, race, the environment, the economy, education…and more. Students will explore how individual athletes, sport teams, and sport organizations have engaged in efforts for social change to promote equity, justice, and belonging. Students will harness this power through sport to enact change of their own.
What is unique about Sports Justice is that students do social action rather than just learn about it. Students in this course will work in groups to develop their own campaign to create social change in and through sport.
Taught By:
Heather Pollock
Senior Lecturer, History/Classics Department
Manager, Education Abroad
University of Akron
Read profile here.