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.
What's included
7 videos8 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 59 minutes
Understanding Play and Sports, Part 1•6 minutes
Understanding Play and Sports, Part 2•9 minutes
Why Do We Like to Play? Part 1•5 minutes
Why Do We Like to Play? Part 2•9 minutes
The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 1•10 minutes
The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 2•8 minutes
Capoeira•12 minutes
8 readings•Total 80 minutes
The Course Basics (note: all essential class information here!!!)•10 minutes
Links to Course Readings•10 minutes
List of Key Terms•10 minutes
Grading Policy•10 minutes
About the Instructor•10 minutes
The Sports and Society Book Club (optional)•10 minutes
The Sports and Society Movie Club (optional)•10 minutes
Report a problem with the course•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 1 Quiz •30 minutes
Globalization, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sports
Module 2•2 hours to complete
Module details
What's included
7 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 66 minutes
The Globalization of Sports•13 minutes
Nationalism and Sports, Part 1•10 minutes
Nationalism and Sports, Part 2•10 minutes
Athletes and Social Activism, Part 1•5 minutes
Athletes and Social Activism, Part 2•9 minutes
American Football, Part 1•10 minutes
American Football, Part 2•9 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 2 Quiz•30 minutes
Race, Cultural Identity, and the Sports World
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
What's included
9 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
9 videos•Total 86 minutes
Race and American Sports, Part 1•11 minutes
Race and American Sports, Part 2•9 minutes
The Native American Mascot Controversy•11 minutes
The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 1•12 minutes
The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 2•7 minutes
Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 1•7 minutes
Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 2•9 minutes
Golf, Part 1•9 minutes
Golf, Part 2•11 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 3 Quiz•30 minutes
Gender, Sexuality, and the Rise of Women's Sports
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
What's included
9 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
9 videos•Total 94 minutes
A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 1•8 minutes
A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 2•12 minutes
Women’s Sports Today, Part 1•9 minutes
Women’s Sports Today, Part 2•11 minutes
The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 1•10 minutes
The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 2•9 minutes
The Transgender Athlete•10 minutes
The Fitness Revolution, Part 1•10 minutes
The Fitness Revolution, Part 2•13 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 4 Quiz•30 minutes
Why Do We Care So Much about Sports?
Module 5•1 hour to complete
Module details
What's included
6 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 60 minutes
The Phenomenon of the Fan, Part 1•8 minutes
The Phenomenon of the Fan, Part 2•12 minutes
The Dark Side of Fandom•11 minutes
Father Time and the Athlete•10 minutes
American College Sports, Part 1•8 minutes
American College Sports, Part 2•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 5 Quiz•30 minutes
The Megabusiness of Sports
Module 6•1 hour to complete
Module details
What's included
4 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 41 minutes
The Hypercommercialization of Sports, Part 1•10 minutes
The Hypercommercialization of Sports, Part 2•10 minutes
The Rise of Sports Video Games, Part 1•12 minutes
The Rise of Sports Video Games, Part 2•9 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 6 Quiz•30 minutes
Outdoor Sports, Extreme Sports, and the Search for Adventure
Module 7•1 hour to complete
Module details
What's included
6 videos1 reading1 assignment
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 49 minutes
Outdoor Sports, Part 1•8 minutes
Outdoor Sports, Part 2•9 minutes
The Strange Case of Extreme Sports, Part 1•5 minutes
The Strange Case of Extreme Sports, Part 2•10 minutes
Skateboarding•17 minutes
Conclusion•1 minute
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Share your learning experience•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 7 Quiz•30 minutes
Instructor
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
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.
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Learner since 2021
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Learner reviews
4.8
1,387 reviews
5 stars
84.93%
4 stars
13.19%
3 stars
1.29%
2 stars
0.21%
1 star
0.36%
Showing 3 of 1387
R
RC
5·
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.
C
CL
5·
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.
M
MM
5·
Reviewed on 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!!!
Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?
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.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. 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.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
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.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.