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Sports and Society
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 12 hours
  • Course by Duke University
  • Offered by

About

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.

Modules

What You Need to Know About the Class

    • 7 Readings
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7 Readings

  • The Course Basics (note: all essential class information here!!!)
  • Links to Course Readings
  • List of Key Terms
  • Grading Policy
  • About the Instructor
  • The Sports and Society Book Club (optional)
  • The Sports and Society Movie Club (optional)

Homo Ludens and the Universality of Play

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • Understanding Play and Sports, Part 1
  • Understanding Play and Sports, Part 2

The Lure of Playing Games

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • Why Do We Like to Play? Part 1
  • Why Do We Like to Play? Part 2

Sports and the Invention of the Modern World

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 1
  • The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 2

Sport of the Week: Capoeira, Made in Brazil

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 1 Quiz

1 Videos

  • Capoeira

The Sporting Life on a Shrinking Planet

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • The Globalization of Sports

Nations and the (Mis)Uses of Sports

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • Nationalism and Sports, Part 1
  • Nationalism and Sports, Part 2

The Rise and Decline of the Activist Athlete

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • Athletes and Social Activism, Part 1
  • Athletes and Social Activism, Part 2

Sport of the Week: American Football, A Violent Mystery

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 2 Quiz

2 Videos

  • American Football, Part 1
  • American Football, Part 2

The Color Line in American Sports

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • Race and American Sports, Part 1
  • Race and American Sports, Part 2

Warriors, Braves, R-s, and the Native American Mascot Debate

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • The Native American Mascot Controversy

Genes, Culture, and the Changing Geography of Sports

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 1
  • The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 2

Zinedine Zidane, Bruce Lee, and Postcolonial Sports

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 1
  • Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 2

Sport of the Week: Golf, A Boring Sport for Rich White Men in Plaid Pants?

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 3 Quiz

2 Videos

  • Golf, Part 1
  • Golf, Part 2

The Rise of Women's Sports

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 1
  • A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 2

How Far Have Women's Sports Come?

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • Women’s Sports Today, Part 1
  • Women’s Sports Today, Part 2

The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 1
  • The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 2

The Transgender Athlete

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • The Transgender Athlete

Sport of the Week: The Fitness Revolution and the Duty to Exercise

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 4 Quiz

2 Videos

  • The Fitness Revolution, Part 1
  • The Fitness Revolution, Part 2

The Pleasures and Perils of Sports Fandom

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • The Phenomenon of the Fan, Part 1
  • The Phenomenon of the Fan, Part 2
  • The Dark Side of Fandom

The Young, the Old, and the Matter of Age in Sports

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • Father Time and the Athlete

Sport of the Week: The Mass Entertainment Complex of Big-time American College Sports

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 5 Quiz

2 Videos

  • American College Sports, Part 1
  • American College Sports, Part 2

How Sports Become a Megabusiness

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • The Hypercommercialization of Sports, Part 1
  • The Hypercommercialization of Sports, Part 2

Sport of the Week: Sports Video Games (if they count as a sport!)

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 6 Quiz

2 Videos

  • The Rise of Sports Video Games, Part 1
  • The Rise of Sports Video Games, Part 2

Outdoor Sports and the Lure of Nature

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • Outdoor Sports, Part 1
  • Outdoor Sports, Part 2

Extreme Sports and Dancing with Death

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • The Strange Case of Extreme Sports, Part 1
  • The Strange Case of Extreme Sports, Part 2

Sport of the Week: Skateboarding, Life on the Edge

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 7 Quiz

1 Videos

  • Skateboarding

Conclusion: Some Final Thoughts

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • Conclusion

Auto Summary

"Sports and Society" offers a deep dive into the cultural impact of sports using anthropology, sociology, and history. Led by Professor Orin Starn, this course explores the intersection of sports with money, politics, race, and more. Over 720 minutes, you'll gain new insights into popular and lesser-known sports. Available on Coursera with Starter and Professional subscriptions, it's perfect for anyone interested in personal development through the lens of sports.

Orin Starn
Instructor

Orin Starn