MCCCD Program Description

Sport and Society

Course: SOC220

First Term: 2008 Fall

Lecture 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s) 3 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S

Description: Applies the sociological perspective to the study of sport. Emphasizes how hierarchies of race, class, and gender in the United States impact the sport experience of both the fan and the athlete, as well as how both professional and amateur sport have at times played a transformative role in society

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe how sport affects and has the power to shape the development of certain social trends, identities, behaviors, and values. (I, III-XII) 2. Explain how sport reflects and reinforces dominant ideology. (I,II) 3. Identify, define, and examine key sociological concepts and terminology in relation to organized sport. (II) 4. Analyze sport as a major social institution in modern society. (I-XII) 5. Describe and explain the importance of sport as a cultural phenomenon using a number of different theoretical perspectives. (II) 6. Identify and analyze how individuals are socialized into sport communities and how they experience these communities. (III, IV) 7. Articulate the connections between sport and other key social institutions, such as education, the economy and the media. (III, X, XI) 8. Identify and explain examples of deviance in sports. (V) 9. Analyze and evaluate the relationship between sport and social justice. (V,VI) 10. Describe and analyze the experiences of sports fans. (VI) 11. Identify, define, and analyze the relationship between violence in sport and violence in society. (VI) 12. Assess how sport influences and is influenced by social relations, particularly in terms of race, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, disability, and gender. (VII, VIII, IX) 13. Analyze the extent to which popular sports accept and/or challenge cultural stereotypes and systems of inequality. (VII, VIII, IX) 14. Explain sport not only in terms of performance statistics and competitive outcomes but also in terms of issues of power. (IX)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Course Overview A. Defining Sport B. The Sociology of Sport 1. The Purposes of Studying Sport 2. The Current Status of Sport 3. The Ritual Significance of Sport II. Sociological Terminology and Theories A. Theoretical Perspectives 1. Functionalism 2. Conflict Theory 3. Symbolic Interaction 4. Feminist Theory B. Studying the Past 1. Using Sociological Theory To Study Sports Historically a. Contest and Games in Ancient Greece b. Roman Contests and Games c. Tournaments and Games in Medieval Europe d. The Renaissance e. The Industrial Revolution C. Studying Sports Today and in the Future. 1. Using Sociological Theory To Analyze Contemporary Sporting Practices 2. Future Trends III. Sports and Socialization. A. Defining Socialization B. Influence of the Agents of Socialization 1. Family 2. Education 3. Media C. The Sport Experience 1. Becoming and Staying Involved 2. Changing or Ending Participation 3. Being Involved IV. Sports and Children A. Origin and Development of Organized Youth Sports B. Major Trends in Youth Sports C. Experience in Youth Sports V. Deviance in Sports A. Sociological Theories of Deviance in Sports B. The Sport Ethic C. Sports Justice D. Deviant Over-Conformity or Under-Conformity E. Performance-Enhancing Substances VI. Violence in Sports A. Defining Violence B. History of Sport Violence C. Violence on the Field, off the Field, and among Spectators VII. Gender and Sports A. Participation B. Equity Issues C. Ideological Changes VIII. Race and Ethnicity A. The Role Played by Race and Ethnicity in Sport B. The Importance of the Influence of Race and Ethnicity in Sport IX. Social Class: The Impact of Money and Power in Sport A. Social Class and Sport Participation Patterns B. Sports and Economic Inequality C. Economic and Career Opportunities in Sport X. Sports and the Economy A. Emergence and Growth of Commercial Sports B. Commercialization C. Owners, Sponsors and Promoters XI. Sports and the Media A. The Two-Way Relationship B. Images and Narratives in Media Sports C. Audience Experiences in Media Sports XII. Sports in High School and College A. The Experiences and Problems of High School Students in Interscholastic Sports B. The Experiences and Problems of College Students in Intercollegiate Sports

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: 3/25/2008

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.