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.
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There are 7 modules in this course
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7 videos8 readings1 assignment
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7 videos1 assignment
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9 videos1 assignment
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University of Colorado Boulder
Morehouse College
Status: Free TrialUniversity of Colorado Boulder
Northwestern University
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Reviewed on Jul 23, 2017
Orin Starn has a unique and interesting way of communicating his ideas and knowledge. The course has helped me to deepen my knowledge about the relation of sports and society.
Reviewed on Oct 26, 2020
Informative, rich, all-embracing. I wish I could take it again! Fortunately, it left me with so many things to think about that it will stay with me for a long time.
Reviewed on Dec 9, 2018
Professor Starn gives insight into the sports world and explains complex topics using anthropological reasoning in a way that makes sense to the average person. Great class!
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Frequently asked questions
No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
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The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
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