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.
Offered By
Sports and Society
Duke UniversityAbout this Course
Learner Career Outcomes
45%
50%
17%
Learner Career Outcomes
45%
50%
17%
Offered by
Duke University
Duke University has about 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-class faculty helping to expand the frontiers of knowledge. The university has a strong commitment to applying knowledge in service to society, both near its North Carolina campus and around the world.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Getting Started! Games, Play, and Sports
Globalization, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sports
Race, Cultural Identity, and the Sports World
Gender, Sexuality, and the Rise of Women's Sports
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM SPORTS AND SOCIETY
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!!!
I enjoyed the course very much. It would be interesting to have an updated course since this one was completed to discuss and reflect on the increase in activism by athletes, especially in 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!
This course tells us about how social customs and traditions have contributed to the evolution of sports and how sports has vice versa reflected the changes in social order of any age.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
Is financial aid available?
Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?
Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
