SMGT3501

Sport and patterns of physical activity are clearly symbolic of the larger socio-cultural order. This course is designed to examine the pervasive and significant relationships between the social constructions of and within sport and physical activity to contemporary social institutions such as politics, religion, economics, education, and mass media. Students are introduced to a broad perspective of social issues related to sport and physical activity and will critically explore how specific social categories (e.g., race, ethnicity, age, physical abilities, social class, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion) intersect to influence individuals’ participation and experiences within sport and physical activity contexts. In short, students will explore the "deeper game" through which sport and physical activities become an integral part of the social, cultural, and global worlds in which we live.