About this course: Sports play a giant role in contemporary society worldwide. But few of us pause to think about the larger questions of money, politics, race, sex, culture, and commercialization that surround sports everywhere. This course draws on the tools of anthropology, sociology, history, and other disciplines to give you new perspectives on the games we watch and play. It's the new and improved version of Professor Orin Starn's original "Sports and Society" for Coursera, which drew more than 40,000 students. We will focus on both popular sports like soccer (or “football,” as anyone outside America calls it), basketball, and baseball, and also lesser-known ones like mountain-climbing and fishing. You will never watch or think about sports in the same way again.
Created by: Duke University
Taught by: Orin Starn, Professor
Cultural Anthropology
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Getting Started! Games, Play, and Sports
7 videos, 7 readings
- Reading: The Course Basics (note: all essential class information here!!!)
- Reading: Links to Course Readings
- Reading: List of Key Terms
- Reading: Grading Policy
- Reading: About the Instructor
- Reading: The Sports and Society Book Club (optional)
- Reading: The Sports and Society Movie Club (optional)
- Video: Understanding Play and Sports, Part 1
- Video: Understanding Play and Sports, Part 2
- Video: Why Do We Like to Play? Part 1
- Video: Why Do We Like to Play? Part 2
- Video: The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 1
- Video: The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 2
- Video: Capoeira
Graded: Week 1 Quiz
WEEK 2
Globalization, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sports
7 videos
- Video: The Globalization of Sports
- Video: Nationalism and Sports, Part 1
- Video: Nationalism and Sports, Part 2
- Video: Athletes and Social Activism, Part 1
- Video: Athletes and Social Activism, Part 2
- Video: American Football, Part 1
- Video: American Football, Part 2
Graded: Week 2 Quiz
WEEK 3
Race, Cultural Identity, and the Sports World
9 videos
- Video: Race and American Sports, Part 1
- Video: Race and American Sports, Part 2
- Video: The Native American Mascot Controversy
- Video: The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 1
- Video: The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 2
- Video: Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 1
- Video: Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 2
- Video: Golf, Part 1
- Video: Golf, Part 2
Graded: Week 3 Quiz
WEEK 4
Gender, Sexuality, and the Rise of Women's Sports
9 videos
- Video: A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 1
- Video: A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 2
- Video: Women’s Sports Today, Part 1
- Video: Women’s Sports Today, Part 2
- Video: The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 1
- Video: The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 2
- Video: The Transgender Athlete
- Video: The Fitness Revolution, Part 1
- Video: The Fitness Revolution, Part 2
Graded: Week 4 Quiz
WEEK 5
Why Do We Care So Much about Sports?
6 videos
- Video: The Phenomenon of the Fan, Part 1
- Video: The Phenomenon of the Fan, Part 2
- Video: The Dark Side of Fandom
- Video: Father Time and the Athlete
- Video: American College Sports, Part 1
- Video: American College Sports, Part 2
Graded: Week 5 Quiz
WEEK 6
The Megabusiness of Sports
4 videos
- Video: The Hypercommercialization of Sports, Part 1
- Video: The Hypercommercialization of Sports, Part 2
- Video: The Rise of Sports Video Games, Part 1
- Video: The Rise of Sports Video Games, Part 2
Graded: Week 6 Quiz
WEEK 7
Outdoor Sports, Extreme Sports, and the Search for Adventure
6 videos
- Video: Outdoor Sports, Part 1
- Video: Outdoor Sports, Part 2
- Video: The Strange Case of Extreme Sports, Part 1
- Video: The Strange Case of Extreme Sports, Part 2
- Video: Skateboarding
- Video: Conclusion
Graded: Week 7 Quiz
FAQs
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Creators
Duke University
Duke University has about 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-class faculty helping to expand the frontiers of knowledge. The university has a strong commitment to applying knowledge in service to society, both near its North Carolina campus and around the world.
Ratings and Reviews
These lecture are amazing and very unique. I got new perspective about Sports particularly the rise of sport with age-by-age
The professor is cool.
This course has given me a whole new perspective of looking at Sports now. It's been enriching, informative & insightful. Thank You!
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An academically challenging, and remarkably insightful course, suited both to those who seek greater understanding and/or enjoyment of observing, documenting or participating in sports. Professor Starn puts his whole self -- literally, socially and intellectually -- into his teaching, making this one of the best courses I have ever taken up-close-and-personal or online. Thank you and bravo, Dr. Starn! You just may find me on campus at Duke in the not-too-distant future . . .