Sociology 4285 – Sociology of Sport -- Fall 2013
Instructor: H. David Hunt
Office: N220 Allgood Hall
Email: hdhunt@aug.edu
Office Phone: 706-667-4582
Skype: davehunt522
Sociology Office: N218 Allgood Hall
Department web page: http://www.aug.edu/sociology/
Office Hours: By appointment
Course Description and Objectives: This course will examine sport as a social institution and component of
culture. Topics will include sport and socialization, youth sports, deviance in sports, gender, race, and social
class in sports, sports and the media, sports and religion, and sport in educational settings. Students will be
encouraged to ask questions and think critically about sports as part of social life.
Text: Coakley, Jay. 2009. Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies. 10th Edition. Boston: McGraw Hill.
ISBN-13: 9780073376547; ISBN-10: 0-07-337654-X
Course Requirements:
Reading: Students must prepare a précis for each chapter of the text covered in the syllabus class.
Discussions: Students must participate in a discussion topic for each chapter covered in class. For each
discussion topic (worth 20 points), students must submit one original post (10 points) and respond to at least
one post from another student (10 points). Students must participate in the introductory discussion by its due
date or they will be dropped from the class.
Projects: Students must complete two projects out of three possible topics. One topic will analyze portions of
the movie Hoop Dreams using concepts from the sociology of sport. Students must discuss and explain the
sociology of sport concept and explain how it applies to the movie, giving examples. The second topic will
make recommendations for a college or university regarding its athletics programs based on reading material
provided by Mr. Hunt. Students must explain the issues related to sport at the college or university they choose
and explain why they are making the specific recommendations. The third topic will explain the implications of
the Mundanity of Excellence article for sport socialization. Projects may be essays, Powerpoint presentations,
audio recordings, video, poster, or other format. Refer to the entry in D2L for more information.
Questions: Students must complete the assigned questions available in Desire2Learn.
Extra Credit: Students may receive extra credit by completing all three projects. The lowest score of the three
projects will be divided by 5 and added to the total points.
Grading:
Discussions
20 points each
320 points
A (90-100%)
Questions 1
105 points
105 points
B (80-90%)
Questions 2
105 points
105 points
C (70-80%)
Question 3
90 points
90 points
D (60-70%)
Precis
300 points
300 points
F (<60%)
2 Projects
300 points each
600 points
Total
1520 points
IMPORTANT NOTES
1. Any evidence of academic misconduct (deliberate or blatant plagiarism and/or cheating) will result in an F
for that assignment/exam or an F for the course. When you copy text without citing your source, you are
committing plagiarism. When you use someone else’s idea(s) without citing them, you are plagiarizing. If you
have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please ask.
2. Once the instructor turns in grades for the semester, you may not turn in additional work except under
extreme circumstances and with the professor’s permission granted before the last day of class.
3. Students must participate in the introductory discussion by its due date or they will be dropped from the class.
Schedule:
WEEK DATE
1
2
TOPIC
READING TO DO
DUE
The Sociology of
Aug 19-23 Sport
C:1
Participate in Introductory Discussion Sun, 25 Aug, 11:59 pm
Participate in Discussion 1
Sun, 1 Sept, 11:59 pm
Submit Precis 1
Sun, 1 Sept, 11:59 pm
Role of Research
26-30
and Theory
C:2
Participate in Discussion 2
Sun, 1 Sept, 11:59 pm
Submit Precis 2
Sun, 1 Sept, 11:59 pm
3
Sept 2-6
2
Studying the Past C:3
Labor Day
Participate in Discussion 3
Submit Precis 3
Sun, 8 Sept, 11:59 pm
Sun, 8 Sept, 11:59pm
4
9-13
Sports and
Socialization
C:4
Participate in Discussion 4
Submit Precis 4
Sun, 15 Sept, 11:59 pm
Sun, 15 Sept, 11:59 pm
5
16-20
Sports and
Children
C:5
Participate in Discussion 5
Submit Precis 5
Sun, 22 Sept, 11:59 pm
Sun, 22 Sept, 11:59 pm
6
23-27
Deviance in Sports C:6
Participate in Discussion 6
Submit Precis 6
Submit Questions 1
Participate in Discussion 7
Submit Precis 7
Sun, 29 Sept, 11:59 pm
Sun, 29 Sept, 11:59 pm
Fri, 27 Sept, 5:00 pm
Sun, 6 Oct, 11:59 pm
Sun, 6 Oct, 11:59 pm
7
30-Oct 4 Violence in Sports C:7
8
7-11
Race and Ethnicity C:9
Participate in Discussion 9
Submit Precis 9
Sun, 13 Oct, 11:59 pm
Sun, 13 Oct, 11:59 pm
9
14-18
Gender
Participate in Discussion 8
Submit Precis 8
Sun, 20 Oct, 11:59 pm
Sun, 20 Oct, 11:59 pm
10
21-25
Sports in High
School and College C:14
Participate in Discussion 14
Submit Precis 14
Sun, 27 Oct, 11:59 pm
Sun, 27 Oct, 11:59 pm
11
28-Nov 1 Social Class
C:10
Participate in Discussion 10
Submit Precis 10
Submit Questions 2
Sun, 3 Nov, 11:59 pm
Sun, 3 Nov, 11:59 pm
Fri, 1 Nov, 5:00 pm
12
4-8
Sports and the
Economy
C:11
Participate in Discussion 11
Submit Precis 11
Sun, 10 Nov, 11:59 pm
Sun, 10 Nov, 11:59 pm
13
11-15
Sports and the
Media
C:12
Participate in Discussion 12
Submit Precis 12
Sun, 17 Nov, 11:59 pm
Sun, 17 Nov, 11:59 pm
14
18-22
Sports and Politics C:13
Participate in Discussion 13
Submit Precis 13
Sun, 24 Nov, 11:59 pm
Sun, 24 Nov, 11:59 pm
C:8
15
25-29
28
Sports and
Religion
Thanksgiving
16
Dec 2-5
5
Last Day of Class
Exam
Week
Dec 9
C:15
Participate in Discussion 15
Submit Precis 15
Thurs, 5 Dec, 11:59 pm
Thurs, 5 Dec, 11:59 pm
All Projects
Questions 3
Mon, 9 Dec, 5:00 pm
Mon, 9 Dec, 5:00 pm