Sociology of Sport (S) SA 353 (4)

A sociological examination of sport focuses on the role of this important set of institutions and activities in shaping social relations and understandings about difference and identity. Sport has a long history of naturalizing racial and gender differences in such a way as to reinforce and reflect social inequality more broadly. Racial segregation in sport (at least in formal legal terms) is no longer considered acceptable in western societies or in the Olympic movement at the global level. But the power of sport in reinforcing and naturalizing racial inequality continues while the naturalness and inevitability of sex segregation in sport remains largely unchallenged. This course will explore the relationships between sport and social inequality, sport and nationalism, and sport and the economy. Prerequisite: Minimum of 30 units including SA 150. Students with credit for SA 216 or SA 315 (when offered as Society of Leisure) may not take this course for further credit.