Boston College SOCY3358.01—Gender and Sport Spring 2016 Tuesday/Thursday 12:00pm – 1:15pm Location: Gasson Hall 207 Instructor: Professor. Kyoung-­‐yim Kim Office: 409 McGuinn Hall Email: kyoung.kim@bc.edu Office Hours: McGuinn Hall 409, Thursdays 2:00-­‐3:00pm and other times by appointment Course Description and Objectives This course uses sport to understand gender relations in the U.S., and explores the dynamics of gender and sporting participation. To inform our analysis we will investigate a variety of sociological, feminist and cultural studies approaches that have been used to understand the complexity of gender relations in American culture. These perspectives will applied to historical and contemporary experiences and meanings of women’s involvement in sport and physical activity in a variety of settings including recreational, high school, college and professional sport. Special consideration will be given to the ideological significance of sport in American culture and the role of sport in legitimating particular masculinities and femininities. We will also explore how race, class, and sexuality all structure opportunities and meanings in sport and the ways in which sporting women challenge existing power relations in American culture. Because existing assumptions about women, gender, sexuality and sport have greatly influenced popular and scholarly notions concerning the topic, this course also provides an opportunity to critique existing scholarship and dominant public sentiment. Course content will consist of lecture, discussion, small group work, guest speaker/s, the viewing of videotapes and student presentations. Student Responsibilities This class is designed as a discussion seminar and thus class attendance is expected. You will also be asked to stay current with the required readings and writing assignments. Your willingness to engage with the various theories and debates surrounding gender relations and sport will greatly influence your ability to master the material and contribute toward the success of this class. Communication The preferred mode of communication for inquiries, etc. is through email. I will respond to your email within two business days (48 hours, except weekends and holidays). Where possible, consult the course outline prior to emailing since often the information is there. Course material will be reviewed in class only. Please include “SOCY3358” in the subject line of the email. Academic Dishonesty Academic dishonesty is not qualitatively different from other types of dishonesty. It consists of misrepresentation by deception or by other fraudulent means. This may include copying 1
or the use of unauthorized aids, plagiarism, aiding and abetting another student’s dishonesty giving false information for the purposes of gaining admission or credit, and giving false information for the purposes of obtaining deferred examinations or extension of deadlines. Academic dishonesty can result in serious consequences, e.g., the grade of zero on an assignment and/or more. It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For more information consult: www.bc.edu/integrity Course Readings Course Reserves for 2 hours at O’Neill Library: Coakley, J. (2014) Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies (11th ed.) McGraw-­‐Hill. Grewal & Kaplan (Eds.), (2006). An Introduction to Women’s Studies: Gender in a Transnational World. Boston: McGraw-­‐Hill. Lucas, J.A., & Smith, R.A. (1978). The Saga of American Sport. Philadelphia: Lea & Feinberg. Frey, J. (ed.), (1982). The Governance of Intercollegiate Athletics. West Point: Leisure Press. Carpenter, J.J., & Acosta, R.V. (2005). Title IX. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Costa, D.M., & Guthrie, S. (Eds.), (1994). Women and Sport: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Champaign: Human Kinetics. Birrell, S., & Cole, C. (Eds.), (1994). Women, Sport & Culture. Champaign: Human Kinetics. Tarrant, S. (ed.), (2008). Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power. New York: Routledge. Digby, T. (ed.), (1998). Men Doing Feminism. New York: Routledge. Schacht, S., & Ewing, E. (Eds.), (1998). Feminism and Men: Reconstructing Gender
Relations. New York: New York University. Rothenburg, P. (ed.), (2008). Race, Class and Gender in the United States: An Integrated
Study (Seventh Edition). New York: Plume.
Other course reading materials will be available via the CANVAS site in pdf format. All required readings must be completed prior to the corresponding class session. Class Participation and Attendance Policy Your active participation is crucial to the development of your own personal understanding and to the success of this course. To actively participate you must complete the reading assignment before each class period, bring in a copy of that day’s reading assignment and come to class with questions and comments to offer for discussion. Thoughtful ideas shared with the entire class are especially valued. Class attendance is expected and will be factored into your participation grade. Additionally, for each absence over three (excused and unexcused) your final grade will be lowered by one full letter grade. Repeatedly coming late to class (or leaving early) will count as (an) absence(s). Policy on Late Assignments and Missed Deadlines Proper academic performance depends on students doing their work not only well, but on time. Accordingly, assignments are due in lecture on their due dates and you are required to hand in your assignment by the beginning of lecture on the due date. Emailed assignments will not be accepted. An assignment will be penalized with a 20% grade reduction per day, unless they are accompanied by a doctor’s note, or by other official documentation 2
detailing a serious matter. The final examination is due on the stipulated date and time noted above with place T.B.D. For the Final Examination, 1 per cent of the student’s overall course grade will be deducted for each day (24 hour period) late without an acceptable and documented reason. Course Assignments and Grades Assessment Item Percentage of Final Grade Conversation Starters 15% History Project 20% Group Project 30% Final Essay Exam 20% 12:00PM, Wednesday, May, 11 Class Participation 15% Grade to be calculated following final lecture, starting from the week of January 26 Due Date 3 times per student. Due on the date the reading is assigned and discussed (5% each) Due: February 23 (before class starts) Project Proposal: February 4 Group Presentation (15%): TBD, Project Report (15%): TBD Required Format for Written Assignments Mandatory Format Requirements: Unless specified otherwise, all written work must; - Include a Title Page, title of the essay with Student Name and Number - Be double-­‐spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font - Use one inch margins all around, have all pages numbered - Use paragraphs (point form notes are not acceptable) - Use APA formatting for in-­‐text citations and referencing (see APA Manual) Assignments×—Specific Instructions Class Seminar Participation [individual] Worth: 15% (24 sessions×0.6point [attendance 0.2pt+participation0.4pt] + 0.6 bonus point) Your grade is based on a demonstration that you have read the weekly readings and are able to discuss them and relate them to other readings as well as practical and/or personal situations. Your success depends on close and careful engagement with the texts. Your participation in class is a crucial element of learning. Although there is an attendance-­‐check for each lecture, what really counts is your active and meaningful participation. Class Conversation Starters [individual] Worth: 15% (3 conversation starters per student, 5% for each starters) Each student is expected to come to class each day with a conversation starter based on the readings for the class. This will start on the Week of February 2. A conversation starter is a few sentence reaction to the readings that will engage your classmates. The format for conversation starters is informal. They can consist of a few sentences reacting to a reading (or part of a reading) that you liked, that you disliked or, that you didn’t fully understand. 3
Each day will choose students to introduce their conversation starters (present it to the class) as a way to begin our discussion of the readings. Periodically throughout the class you will be asked to turn in your conversation starters. As a result you should make sure your conversation starters are written out before coming to class. You do not need to type them, just make sure I can read them. Make sure when you turn in your conversation starter your name is on the sheet of paper. I also recommend that you either write or type them on paper separate from your notes, so that you are not turning in your notes. Each day there are readings I will randomly select a set of students who will turn in their conversation starters. Each student will be chosen 3 times throughout the semester. If you are not in class the day your name is selected you will not receive credit for that particular conversation starter. There are no make-­‐ups. I will not take conversation starters e-­‐mailed to me preemptively or after class. You must be in class to receive credit! In class, 4-­‐5 minutes will be given to those who are selected as conversation starters for the day. You can use the time to share your reaction to the readings, and/or ask questions to offer class discussions based on the readings. History Project [individual] (12:00PM, Tuesday, February 23, 2016 EST.) Worth: 20% Objective: To understand the history and historical transformation of gender, race, class and sexuality ‘issues’ in sport participation through an examination of a familial history. Critical feminist theory requires that one put information/perceptions/issues in their ‘historical’ context recognizing factors/influences that may have encouraged or detracted females/males/others sports participation opportunities. Procedure: Reflect one of your elder family member’s (55+) sporting experiences through personal conversation or informal interview. Discuss their sport experiences as affected by gender and their other (minority or privileged) social status. To what extent are your experiences and attitudes towards sport similar/different than your family members? How have does gender, race, class, and sexuality affect you and your family members sport participation? Do not limit the examples to discrimination. Factors that may have influenced or detracted their sports participation opportunities: - Medical profession and health - Education system/s (private/public) as well as educational philosophies of sport (competitive or participation goals) - Religion -­‐ Politics (suffrage, Olympics, etc.) - Technology (Equipment, clothing, etc.) -­‐ Women’s “liberation”/movement, etc. - Associations, organizations, governance (AAU, AIAW, NCAA, etc.) - Social class (who played what?) -­‐ Leaders/role models/etc. - Other Affect of major historical events on participation opportunities: - Civil War -­‐ World Wars I and II - Industrialization -­‐ Depression 4
- Women’s/Civil Rights Movements -­‐ Media - Legislation (Civil Rights, Affirmative Action, Title IX, drug testing and sex testing) - Modern Olympics -­‐ Other Your essay will be a SEVEN-­‐page paper (double spaced, not including the cover page, references or appendices. Please follow the Mandatory Format Requirements). The essay is about you and your family member’s experiences and position/s in our society where you belong; the ways in which your gender, class, race/ethnicity, and other identity markers work around your sport participation. What implications do the intersections of the identity markers and its various manifestations have for those interested in sport? The best papers will be analytical rather than merely descriptive; offer a clear and focused discussion of the historical changes, if there are any; identify and evaluate the impact of the feminist movement and the civil rights movement as related to sport involvement and raise one’s consciousness level by understanding the role that sport may play in contributing to, enhancing, or detracting from one’s place in society. Recognize old/current stereotypes of sportsperson and (sexual and other) minorities as revealed in your conversations/interviews. State carefully developed thoughts and link the thoughts engaging with the class readings to support your claims. Use concepts and theories from class materials (Use at least FIVE class readings). Group Project (Presentation and a Final Report) [group] (By selected date) Cluster I: Group Presentation—Tuesday, April 5; Group Report—Tuesday, April 19)
Cluster II: Group Presentation—Thursday, April 7; Group Report—Thursday, April 21)
Worth: 30% (15% Presentation + 15% Final Report) The purpose of this project is to allow students to employ field research in an examination of how gender (and other identity marker/s) is materially re-­‐/produced in real world sport, physical culture and health contexts. More broadly, the purpose of this project is to learn how sport functions as a social space that we perform our gender/learn about gender, and re-­‐/construct our own meaning of gender through sport. Students will be expected to use qualitative research techniques to examine a particular sport, physical culture or health-­‐related practice and to identity how gender intersect with other identity markers (e.g., race, class, sexuality, etc.) in the time and space, as well as how those shape practitioners’ and/or participants’ experiences in those particular contexts. Each group will investigate a different site and practice, so projects will be approved on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Projects must be approved by the professor, so send your proposal via email before February 4, 2016. In your proposal to the instructor, include your area of interest (e.g., healthcare, education, recreation, corporate wellness, public health, international development, high performance sport, etc.) and the reason for choosing the particular site. After receiving approval for your chosen site, be sure to review the literature regarding race, gender, and other social identity markers in the field; and provide the instructor with a proposed initiative, program, protocol, etc. (demonstrate your engagement not only with class readings, but with lecture material and the fruits of your own research. A minimum of 8 sources should be used; these should primarily be books and refereed journal articles. Your essay MUST include a reference list in APA format) 5
i)
Chose a particular site where the group is able to witness a sport, physical cultural or health-­‐related practice. ii) Interrogate how gender, race, and other identity markers intersect, how it is produced, reproduced and performed within those particular spatial contexts. iii) Papers should: a. Describe the sport, physical cultural or health-­‐related practice the group has chosen to examine b. Discuss what the group had expected to find prior to the examination of the particular practice. c. Compare and contrast student expectations of the particular practice with actual experiences from the field. d. Apply theoretical frameworks introduced in course lectures, readings and materials to describe, explore, and/or explain what the group has encountered within the field. e. Theorize any differing experiences, expectations and/or results found among group members. Presentation (20 minutes): students will present the result of the field research. Students will be evaluated by the professor, and will receive peers’ constructive comments/responses. The presentation contents include: Introduction; Literature Review; Methods; Results; Discussion and Recommendation. Final Report (12 pages double spaced, not including references or appendices, or cover page. Please follow the Mandatory Format Requirements). Based on the field research presentation results and feedback received during the presentation, students will produce a final report. Due date is TWO-­‐weeks post presentation at the beginning of class. CAUTION: Ensure that the expectations and responsibilities of group members are clearly outlined from the beginning of this project. Each group will be expected to submit a Group Presentation Distribution Form where group members will indicate whether group members have participated equally on the final project. The grade for this assignment will be distributed equally among members unless otherwise noted on the Group Presentation Distribution Form. Final Take-­‐home Examination [individual] (12:00PM, Wednesday, May, 11, 2016 EST.) Worth: 20% The final examination will be distributed in lecture on Tuesday, May 3, and must be returned to the professor via email by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11. It will involve a series of short essays in which students are asked to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of course materials (lectures, readings, videos, assignments and other materials as appropriate). Answers must be thoroughly researched. More details will be given during the term. I may submit your Final Exam to Turnitin, an Internet-­‐based service that scans submitted works for similarity to material that may have been copied from public web-­‐sites, etc., including essays and assignments submitted previously to Turnitin. The service is able to detect strings of words as short as eight in its digital data base. Of course, it is expected that your paper will comply with the college’s mandate for academic honesty and integrity. 6
Lecture Outline—Overview of Topics and Required (R)/Suggested (S) Readings
(readings/reading dates (TU—Tuesday, TH—Thursday) are subject to change.)
Weeks of January 19 & January 26
Introduction to the Course
1. What counts as sport? What counts as participation? What counts as gender?
2. Locating the field from “women in sport” to “gender, race, sexuality, and class
relations in sport”
3. Gender analysis and sport
READINGS
Coakley, J. (2014). Chapter 1. The sociology of sport. In Sports in Society: Issues and
Controversies. pp. 14-18. Boston: McGraw-Hill. R--TH (Jan.21)
Lazreg, M. (2006). Feminism and difference. In I. Grewal & C. Kaplan (Eds.), An Introduction
to Women’s Studies: Gender in a Transnational World. 2nd Ed. (pp. 321-323).
Boston: McGraw-Hill. R—TU (Jan.26)
Fausto-Sterling, A. (2006). The biological connection. In I. Grewal & C. Kaplan (Eds.), An
Introduction to Women’s Studies: Gender in a Transnational World. 2nd Ed. (pp.
41-42). Boston: McGraw-Hill. R--TU (Jan.26)
Oudshoorn, N. (2006). Sex differences and changing ideas of gender. In I. Grewal & C.
Kaplan (Eds.), An Introduction to Women’s Studies: Gender in a Transnational
World. 2nd Ed. (pp. 6-9). Boston: McGraw-Hill. R--TH (Jan.28)
Wackwitz, L. (2003). Verifying the myth: Olympic sex testing and the category “woman.”
Women’s Studies International Forum, 26 (6). 553-560. R--TH (Jan.28)
Fausto-Sterling, A. (2000). Dueling dualisms: Male or female? In A. Fausto-Sterling. Sexing
the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality. (pp. 1-29). New York:
Basic. S (Tu. Jan.26)
Sabo, D., & Veliz, P. (2008). Go out and play: Youth sports in America. East Meadows, NY:
Women’s Sports Foundation. S (Th. Jan.28)
Week of February 2
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
How Did We Get Here?: Historical Perspectives on Gender, Race, Class and Sexuality in
Twentieth Century American Sport
1. The new woman vs. the strenuous life for men
2. Competition vs. non competitive models of sport
3. Historical differences among women in 20th Century sport and culture
READINGS
Vertinsky, P. (1994). Women, sport and exercise in the 19th Century. In D.M. Costa & S.
Guthrie (Eds.), Women and Sport: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. (pp. 63-82).
Champaign: Human Kinetics. R--TU
Lucas, J., & Smith, R. (1978). Women’s sport: A trial of equality. In The Saga of American
Sport. (pp. 342-372). Philadelphia: Lea & Feinberg. R--TH
February 4. Group Project Proposal Due
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Week of February 9
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Gender Socialization through Sport
A. Naturalization of gender difference in sport
B. Socialization of gender in/through sport
READINGS
Davies, L.R. (1990). Male cheerleaders and the naturalization of gender. In M. Messner and
D. Sabo (Eds.), Sport, Men and the Gender Order. (pp. 153-162). Human Kinetics
Books: Champaign, IL. R--TH
Messner, M. (2000). Barbie girls versus sea monsters: Children constructing gender.
Gender & Society, 14 (6). 765-784. R—TH
February 15. Last Date for Undergraduates to drop a course
Week of February 16
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Sport Governance, Law and Gender
A. The Introduction of Title IX
B. The impact of Title IX and the limitations of gender equity argument
READINGS
Slatton, B. (1982). AIAW: The greening of American sport. In J. Frey (ed.), The Governance
of Intercollegiate Athletics. West Point: Leisure Press. R--TU
Carpenter, J.J., & Acosta, R.V. (2005). Title IX. Chapter 1. The law. (pp. 3-33). Champaign,
IL: Human Kinetics. R--TU
Carpenter, J.J., & Acosta, R.V. (2012). Women in Intercollegiate sport: A longitudinal,
national study thirty-five year update: 1977-2012. R--TH
Women’s Sport Foundation. (n.d.). Title IX Myths and Facts. Available at
http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/home/advocate/title-ix-and-issues/what-is-titleix/title-ix-myths-and-facts R--TH
National Women’s Law Center (2012). The Next Generation of Title IX: Athletics. R--TH
National Women’s Law Center (2012). Title IX and Men’s Sport: A False Conflict. R--TH
National Women’s Law Center (2014). The Battle for Gender Equity in Athletics... R--TH
Week of February 23
Four Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Feminist Criticism: Contemporary feminist theories and sport
READINGS
Boutilier, M., & SanGiovanni, L. (1994). Politics, public policy and Title IX: Some limitations
of liberal feminism. In S. Birrell & C. Cole (Eds.), Women, Sport & Culture. (pp. 97109). Champaign: Human Kinetics. R--TU
Scraton, S., & Flintoff, A. (2002). Sport feminism: The contribution of feminist thought to our
understandigns of gender and sport. In S. Scraton & A. Flintoff (Eds.), Gender and
Sport: A Reader. New York & London: Routledge. R--TH
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Week of March 1
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Feminist Criticism: Feminist theories of sport and Women in Sport Career
GUEST SPEECH: TBA
READINGS
Kampoff, C. (2010). Bargaining with patriarchy: Former coaches’ experiences and their
decision to leave collegiate coaching. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport,
81(3), 360-372. R--TU
Norman, L. (2010). Bearing the burden of doubt: Females coaches’ experiences of gender
relations. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 81(4), 506-517. R--TH
Wilson, R. (2007, May4). Where have all the women gone? The Chronicle of Higher
Education, 1-9. S (Tu/Th)
March 7-11.: Spring Vacation, NO CLASS
Week of March 15
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Feminist Criticism: The promise of intersectionality I
READINGS
Crenshaw, K. (2006). Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence
against women of color. In I. Grewal & C. Kaplan (Eds.), An Introduction to
Women’s Studies: Gender in a Transnational World. 2nd Ed. (pp. 200-206).
Boston: McGraw-Hill. R--TU
Jamieson, K. (1998). Reading Nancy Lopez: Decoding representations of race, class, and
sexuality. Sociology of Sport Journal, 15. 343-358. R—TH
Cooky, C., Wachs, F., & Dworkin, S. (2010). It’s not about the game: Don Imus, race, class,
gender and sexuality in contemporary media. Sociology of Sport Journal, 27 (2),
139-159. R--TH
Week of March 22
Four Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Feminist Criticism: The promise of intersectionality II
READINGS
King, C.R. (2006). On being a warrior: Race, gender and American Indian imagery in sport.
The International Journal of the History of Sport, 23 (2). 315-330. R—TU
March 24. Holy Thursday Easter Holiday, NO CLASS
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Week of March 29
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Feminist Criticism: Men in feminism
READINGS
Feminism: Find out if you have caught it. In M. Kaufman & M. Kimmel, (2011). The Guy’s
Guide to Feminism. (pp. 44-47). Berkeley: Seal. R--TU
Kimmell, M. (1998). Whose afraid of men doing feminism? In T. Digby (ed.), Men Doing
Feminism. (pp. 57-68). New York: Routledge. R--TU
Pringle, R. (2008). Sport, strong women and feminist epiphanies. In S. Tarrant (ed.), Men
Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power. (pp. 238-245). New York:
Routledge. R--TH
Brillante, K. (2008). Engendering the classroom: Experiences of a man in Women’s and
Gender Studies. In S. Tarrant (ed.), Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and
Power. (pp. 219-226). New York: Routledge. S (Tu)
Connell, R.W. (1998). Gender politics for men. In S. Schacht & D. Ewing (Eds.), Feminism
and Men: Reconstructing Gender Relations. (pp. 225-236). New York: New York
University. S (Th)
Weeks of April 5
Presentation Week for the Group Project
Group Project Presentation, Cluster I: Tuesday, April 5)
Group Project Presentation, Cluster II: Tuesday, April 7)
Weeks of April 12
Four Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Cultural Studies and Cultural Bodies I: Gender Ideology
1. The Power of gender ideologies
2. De-naturalizing sport and the body
READINGS
Messner, M. (2011). Gender ideologies, youth sports and the production of soft
essentialism. Sociology of Sport Journal, 28, 151-170. W-14, R—TU
Schilling, C., & Bunsell, T. (2009). The female bodybuilder as a gender outlaw. Qualitative
Research in Sport and Exercise, 1(2). 141-159. W-15, R—TH
Week of April 19
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Cultural Studies and Cultural Bodies II: Resistance to the Conventional Gender Ideology
3. Third Wave Feminism
READINGS
Kane, M.J. (1995). Resistance/Transformation of the oppositional binary: Exposing sport as
a continuum. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 19 (2). 191-218. W-14, R--TU
Dworkin, S. (2001). “Holding Back”: Negotiating a glass ceiling on women’s muscular
strength. Sociological Perspectives, 44 (3). 333-350. W-15, R--TH
10
Week of April 26
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Homophobia and Heterosexism
1. The invention of heterosexuality and historical perspectives on homophobia
2. Lesbians experiencing sport and countering homophobia
3. Queering sport
READINGS
Katz, J.N. (2007). The invention of heterosexuality. In P. Rothenburg (ed.), Race, Class and
Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study (Seventh Edition). (pp. 68-80).
New York: Plume. R—TU
Cahn, S. (1994). Crushes, competition and closets: The emergence of homophobia in
women’s physical education. In S. Birrell & C. Cole (Eds.), Women, Sport &
Culture. (pp. 327-339). Champaign: Human Kinetics. R—TU
Sykes, H. (2006). Transexual and transgender policies in sport. Women in Sport & Physical
Activity Journal, 15 (1). 3-13. R—TH
Iannotta, J., & Kane, M.J. (2002). Sexual stories as resistance narratives in women’s sports:
Reconceptualizing identity performance. Sociology of Sport Journal, 19, 347-369. S
(Tu/Th)
Broad, K.L. (2001). The gendered unapologetic: Queer resistance in women’s sport.
Sociology of Sport Journal, 18 (2), 181-204. S (Tu/Th)
Week of May 3
Five Conversation Starters:_____________________________________________________
Concerns for Social Change through Sport
1. Deconstructing Dominant Images
2. Conclusions and Review for Final Exam
READINGS
Nakamura, Y. (2002). Beyond the hijab: Female Muslims and physical activity. Women in
Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 11 (2). 21-48. R--TU
May 6-9, Study Days
Week of May 10
Final Exam
11