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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Sports and Society by Duke University

4.8
stars
1,258 ratings

About the 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....

Top reviews

MM

Nov 11, 2016

I loved this particular course. The topics are relevant. Each topic is supported by historical facts and examples and how is it relevant in the present time. It was a great learning experience!!!

LK

Jan 6, 2020

One of the best courses that mixed interesting facts with theories. I study sports management, it's really intriguing to see how sports social values entwined with each other in history!

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101 - 125 of 325 Reviews for Sports and Society

By varun h

May 7, 2020

This course was really helpful in order to understand the various different aspects of different types of sports.Prof. Orin was simply amazing.

By Devan F

Jun 28, 2020

Well, throughout lectures that were interesting and engaging. I found that I was never bored and that it was challenging but still manageable.

By Tim H

Sep 13, 2019

Great course that brought to light something we watch and do everyday but without knowing the history of it. Look forward to further courses.

By Pietro R

Oct 27, 2020

The teacher is quite engaging, the man has showmanship! Add that the content is really interesting and you get a 5 stars course. Recommended!

By ADITYA S

May 27, 2018

The course covers every aspect on which the modern sports foundation have been laid. Many thanks to Mr. Orin for sharing his knowledge to us.

By Annigje F

Jan 21, 2016

Great course! Basic info on how sports were, and are, looked at from a society point of view. Broad information about many various subjects.

By Launee R

Apr 28, 2021

Very good course. As a PE teacher it has allowed to greater understand the sociology behind some of the content I teach. Very enlightening.

By Carlos A M P

Jul 4, 2017

This is a great journey with the great Orin Starn's guide through the history and different perspectives of sports in the human history.

By Dawit M

Oct 26, 2021

An eye opening course that helps to shed light on different aspect of sports. Really enjoyed it and learned to see sport holistically.

By Claudia R B

Oct 29, 2020

Great course , excellent classes .

I really enjoyed it .

It was great to have a course which analysed sports from this perspective .

By Abhishek G

Sep 1, 2017

This course has given me a whole new perspective of looking at Sports now. It's been enriching, informative & insightful. Thank You!

By James M

Jan 19, 2021

Loved everything about this course. Learning the history of sports and games along with the athletes who came before us was awesome

By Nabil S

Apr 25, 2020

I am a sports management professional and I have completed my MBA in Sports Management even then I learnt a lot from this course.

By Victor M

Oct 10, 2016

Fantastic humanistic approach, very well designed and above all the passion of the professor Starn is fundamental! great job!

By Tashin I

Jan 11, 2019

Awesome lecturer, reveals topics comprehensively. Lectures are well-structured. The course makes me learn more about sports.

By Hernadi F

Sep 12, 2017

These lecture are amazing and very unique. I got new perspective about Sports particularly the rise of sport with age-by-age

By Uriel R

Nov 14, 2016

Great class, easy to follow, and very informative. One of my favorite, if not my favorite, course I have taken in Coursera.

By Neronas Z

Oct 8, 2023

Absolutely great lecturer. So many interesting new concepts and ideas proposed and described in a very simple and fun way.

By RuiYang Y

Jul 27, 2021

Amazing experience, I learned a lot in this class and it will be beneficial for my future academic learning and career :)

By Colm H

Jun 25, 2021

An excellent informative, engaging and inspiring course. It is the best online course I have ever done. Colm Hickey PhD

By Maria A S

Jul 4, 2020

very interesting and informative course. The instructor did an exceptional job. Kept the entire narration so interesting.

By Timur A

May 22, 2020

The best sports related course I ever had at Coursera! Fresh approach and a lot of insights! Thanks a lot, Mr. Starn!

By David V D

Sep 18, 2016

Got to learn a lot about sports and how it can have a complete different perceptive than only watching or playing it.

By Davis J

Jan 27, 2016

This is by far the best course I have taken from Coursera. Orin is very knowledgeable and passionate in his lectures.

By Sovan M

Jan 20, 2022

Excellent course. It explains the deeper meaning of sports and human relationships. The joy of play is the divinity.