SOC 208---Sport and Society

Sociology of North American Sports, Seventh Edition...by D. Stanley Eitzen and George H. Sage (ES)

<>208 Online Reader

10/04 - 10/11.............II. The Sociological Perspective and Concepts(ES 1)

10/13 - 10/18............III. Social/Cultural Sources and Societal Values(ES 2/3)

10/20 - 10/25.............IV. Children/Education & Sport(ES 4/5/6)

10/27 - 11/03..............V. Social Problems and Sports (ES 7)

11/05 - 11/15............VI. Sport & Religion/Politics/Economy/Media (ES 8/9/10/11)

11/17 - 11/29............VII. Social Stratification/Race/Gender (ES 12/13/14)

12/01 - 12/03............VIII. Trends and Future of Sport (ES 15)

ANALYSIS PAPERS

There will be two(2) Analysis Papers...each worth 20 pts (10 for doing it and 10 evaluated)...for a total of 40 pts. Topics can be found HERE

DISCUSSION BOARD ASSIGNMENT

You will be required to post three (3) Responses...worth 20 points each = 60 pts....on the 208 Discussion Board...in response to Prompts I post on the Board. Specific instructions are HERE...please read carefully.

DISCRETIONARY ASSIGNMENT

You will have the discretion (choice) to do any kind of assignment you choose...on any topic or issue you choose...so long as the total equals 100 points exactly. This will be done in halves...50 points at a time. For options and instructions, go HERE

MOVIE REVIEW

You will be asked to sociologically review an entertainment movie about "sports"...worth 100 points. Possible movies are HERE. Review Instructions/Guidelines are HERE

FINAL EXAM

There will be a Final Exam worth 100 points...a take-home essay exam.

400 Points........Total

You can review ANY entertainment movie about or connected to sports (no documentaries). You are required to use the Guidelines for Critical Academic Review of Entertainment Movie, although you can add any other issues or ideas you want.

Although there are a number of good movie review sites on the Internet, pound for pound my favorite site is All Movie Guide (AMG). You may, of course, use any movie site you like, but AMG is a good one...it gives a good synopsis and helpful commentary for most movies...plus numerous links to genre, keywords, mood, etc.

To facilitate selection of a movie of interest to you, below you will find links to two AMG lists of movies related to sports (with some overlap between the two). Click on the titles and you'll be taken directly to that movie's review. Here are the links:

Sports Drama

Keyword: Sports

Again, you can choose any movie you wish...the AMG listings are only suggestive. APPROVAL from me is NOT necessary. You will find that watching a movie for entertainment is very different from watching it for academic review. This also means that rewatching a previously viewed movie is okay...in fact, it changes the whole viewing.

As we begin our sociological exploration of "sports," I'd like to get a guage or measure of what each of you is bringing into this course...about this thing we call "sport."

Lets start with "why did you choose to take this course?" There must be something about the subject which got your attention (If you're tempted to say...because I needed 3 credits in Social Science...or something to that effect...please resist doing so...think just a tad deeper than that). Why take an academic course on, to some people, such a frivilous or obvious topic? Why is such a course even being offered? Might it now even be better offered under the discipline of psychology?

Then, just what is "sport" to you? What is your past or current (and even future) relation to it? Have/are you a participant, spectator, fan, coach/manager...or even a critic? Which sport(s)?

So, in short, tell me about yourself in relation to our subject matter. You may want to include your likes and dislikes about sports in general or about specific ones.

Please treat this paper's topic and questions seriously...give it some thought...there's no "right or wrong" here, just "superficial" to "in-depth" responses. Although you don't necessarily have to cover or answer each and every question posed, strive for the latter.

Oh, and if you're "game," (so to speak), is there a difference (and what is it, if you think so) between "sport" and "play"? You might even want to look up the various definitions of "sport," as well as the wide variety of the uses of the word (in a good dictionary, of course)...it might give you some different angles on it all.

Lastly...for your further consideration...our textbook, on p. 15, defines sport as "any competitive physical activity thast is guided by established rules." Too broad...too narrow??

So, have "fun" "playing" around with this paper...and, of course, be a "good sport" about it all, ok?????

ANALYSIS PAPER #2

Remember those Course Objectives we spent time going over in the beginning of the quarter? Sure you do. Well, now...as a sort of "closure" to the course, I want you to evaluate YOURSELF as to how well or not well...to what degree...you "met" those objectives...yes, all ten of them. This isn't about your grade...it's about YOU in relation to what we set out to do in SOC 208. So, evaluate yourself...do a thorough and serious job and you'll easily get the full 20 points for it. Do less than that and well, you know what you'll get. By the way, this is the one paper I keep for my records...thanks.

You are going to need access to a Computer for this course with access to the Internet. Whether its your own computer, your parent‘s, one in a Lab, a friend's computer, or one at a Library, they're not that difficult to find these days.

That means you'll need to have or to learn a basic minimum of skills in navigating the Internet. It's a tool that's quickly become a necessity in today's world...especially as it relates to academics. If you have no experience in doing this, don’t worry, there's plenty of help available...especially at LCC (Social Science Lab is on the 4th floor of Center Bldg) and on the Internet itself. I've put a link under MEMU (above) to a "beginners" tutorial which takes you through it step by step. I’m also willing to help get you started, if necessary.

Why? Besides being an immensely rich and important source of all sorts of information, the Internet provides the opportunity for providing reading material for academic classes...making materials accessible to anyone...anytime. This also cuts down on the amount of copying necessary...saving paper and money. My own website, The Sociology Shop, will be an integral component of this course...it will have a “room” for our class, links to required reading materials, a Message Board for our class, and the details of the course...including assignments and instructions you will need, plus, of course, due dates. The Online Reader...beyond the textbook...is, in effect, a substitute for asking you to buy a Reader, thus saving you money. Thus you need to become familiar with The Sociology Shop in general as well as familiar with our “Sociology 208 Room”...which you are “in” right now. We will be viewing it in class on a regular basis.

ALSO, you will need an EMAIL address for this course. There will be occasions I may need to email you individually as well as the class as a whole. Likewise, you may need to email me with questions or information and possibly, an assignment. If you don't have an Email account, please get one SOON...it is a requirement of the course, not an option. Many are free, such as Yahoo and Hotmail...and these can be accessed on any computer, anywhere. I will be glad to assist you in setting one up...just ask me. IF you already have one (or when you get one), please send me a message (indicating your name---sometimes usernames don’t reveal that) so I can enter your address into my address book and create the class list. Send it to socshop@yahoo.com Please pay prompt attention to this matter...Thanks.

I firmly believe in the use of this technology as a teaching and learning tool...it's an essential component of the course.

You will need to pick a "CODE NAME" to use when you post (DO NOT use for any other entry on the Board)...a name known only to you and me. Pick something that doesn't utilize a known nickname so anonymity can be maintained and thus, a feeling of security in terms of your identity. Please put it on the Class Infomation Sheet. NOTE: Although you WILL be required to enter your "name" when you post, you WILL NOT be required to include an email address when you post (However, you CAN if you want, your choice).

I will provide PROMPTS for you to consider...beginning next week. I fully expect you to do a serious job on those you select...a short paragraph full of general comments just won't "cut" it. You will be allowed to post up to 1000 words...quite a bit...but I won't/can't dictate a certain length...that's up to you.

As indicated under "Due Dates," there are three due dates for your posts...each post must be done BY MIDNIGHT ON THIS DATE. Also, if you "pass" on a Prompt when I first post it, you can go back later and do it if you change your mind about it.

In addition to the three required posts, I encourage you to post replies to what others have said...as well as posting anything you want as it relates to the course (i.e. response to lectures, class comments, readings, news, etc.). This type of "participation" could come into play when assigning a course grade...in instances where averages are borderline between one grade and another. Finally, I may, from time to time, post "announcements," or links to informative websites...or to current articles relevant to our subject matter. Thus, I encourage you TO CHECK THE BOARD REGULARLY (i.e. daily).