Social Theory: Social Theory through the Case of
Sports
SYA 4011,
U01. Fall 2015
Class Location: Chemistry and Physics 111 Time: 11:00-12:15, Tuesday and Thursday
Instructor: Benjamin Smith Email: bsmith@fiu.edu
Office: SIPA 305 Office Phone: 348-2074
Office Hours: Thursday, 12:30-3:30 PM
Thursday (or before or after class)
Teaching Homepage Which You Must Check Frequently:
http://www.fiu.edu/~bsmith/teaching.htm
I Absolutely Promise You Do Not Need to Know Anything
about Sports, or Even Like Them to Learn, Enjoy and Succeed in this Course.
Full disclosure: I like sports.
I could babble on and on about sports, in particular fantasy sports, in ways
that could bore this entire campus into a coma.
But I fully recognize that my interests are not everyone’s. Sharing my interests is not a perquisite for
success in this course. That being
said…
Sports are Pretty Darn Prominent…
Consider the following:
·
As an FIU
student, you pay a $20 “Athletic Fee” every year whether you attend a sporting
event or not.
·
Between the city
of Miami and Miami-Dade
County, $500 million dollars was pledged for construction of a stadium in
Little Havana for the Miami Marlins, which could end up costing as much as $2
billion once all the debt is serviced.
·
Live sports
channels (led by ESPN) makes up 20% of the average cable bill whether you watch
them or not.
I could keep on going with the dollar figures, but you get the
picture. But of course, sports are more
than that. A significant percentage of
all the news consumed and reported in this (and most countries) country
concerns sports. For some, sports
fandom gives their life meaning (or annoys the heck out of them); for others,
it is participation that offers direction and hope. Perhaps nothing invokes national or local
pride among so many like sports. Sports are a major part of contemporary social
and economic space. Which means…
Sports reflect, impact and are impacted by major social
processes…
Thus, they can be analyzed with social
theory. Is there economic inequality in sports? You bet.
What about race? Of course. Gender? Sexuality? Embodiment? Globalization? Migration? Political Economy? Big Data? Discipline? Nationalism? Discourse and ideology?
Neoliberalism? Affirmative on
all accounts. Although the
analysis of sports is not a prominent strain of research in Anthropology,
Geography or Sociology – generally, there is a bias against researching
anything considered enjoyable (like tourism, fashion, etc…) – such research is
out there and it utilizes many of the same theories used by scholars studying
other parts of sociocultural space. For example, we will be utilizing many
readings from the journals: Journal of
Sport and Social Issues and Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media,
Politics.
Every instructor who teaches SYA 4011 is tasked with picking a topic to
act as a lens to make social theory come to life: to me, there was no other
(potentially) interesting topic where such a wide range of social theory could
be applied than sports.
1. Gain exposure to a range of major scholars in interdisciplinary
social theory by reading their work. In most of my courses, I tend to favor
providing exposure to a wide range of topics over a narrow focus. This will be the case here. While we won’t cover the huge amount of
ground that my 2000 and 3000 level courses do, this course will move to a
different topic each week. The idea is
that everyone in the course should find some author/topic with whom they
connect.
2. Understand
how theory is used to make sense of and analyze data. While
“big name theory” is fun on its own, what is critical is that you come to
understand how theory can be used to make sense of the data that social
scientists are able to gather. Thus,
along with “big name” theorists, we will be reading work by scholars and even
some reporters who take those ideas and apply them to data sets and problems
encountered in the world – in this case, data sets and issues related to
sports.
3. Practice
writing in a theoretically informed way. In this course, you will have to write
responses to the readings every week, in addition to producing a theoretically
informed analysis paper of a topic related to sports as a semester
project. You will also have to present
it. In other words, it will be a light
version of what you would experience in a graduate seminar.
Readings will be provided in links from the course Blackboard
site. http://fiu.blackboard.com
Tuesday, October
6 – Short Test One
Thursday, November
5 – Proposal Due
Tuesday,
November 17 – Short Test Two
Thursday,
November 26 –
No Class, Thanksgiving
Thursday,
December 10, 9:45-11:45 – Final Exam (Period)
Grading
There will be 500 total points available
in this class, broken down as follows:
Weekly Reponses: 100
points (10 weeks (plus one skip) x 10 points each)
Weekly Questions: 15
points
Attendance and Participation: 100 points
Mini-Exams:
150 points (2 exams x 75 points each)
Proposal:
15 points
Oral Presentation: 30 points
Written Presentation: 90 points
The grading scale is A = 100-93%, A- = 92.9-90%, B+ =
89.9-87%, B = 86.9-83%, B- =82.9%-80%, C+ = 79.9-77%, C = 76.9-73%, C- = 72.9-70%, D+ = 69.9-67%, D = 66.9-63%,
D- = 62-60% F = 59-0%, which translates to, in points:
A : 500 thru 465
points
A-: 464 thru 450
points
B+: 449 thru 435 points
B: 434 thru
415 points
B-: 414 thru
400 points
C+: 399 thru 385 points
C: 384 thru
365 points
C-:
364 thru 350 points
D+: 349 thru 335 points
D: 334 thru 315
points
D-: 314 thru
300 points
F: 299 thru 0
points
Primarily, this is a
discussion and writing driven course, much like a graduate seminar. However, this is still an undergraduate
class and graduate seminars are not for everyone. Therefore, to help provide a cushion of
points not related to writing and help encourage precision regarding terms and
knowledge gained, there will be two short exams.
Weekly Questions and Thought Pieces
Starting in Week 2, by 5 PM Wednesday, you will need to login and click on the link for this course. Find the current week.
In the “Discussion” forum, you need to put a single post in the proper forum that includes two things:
1. A 450-700 word “thought piece” which touches on ALL the assigned readings for the week, including readings assigned for Tuesday and/or Thursday (more on this below).
2. One question for discussion in class. These questions can be points you were unclear on, or perhaps something you think would get a cracking good discussion going.
To make this post, hit the “Create Thread” button. In the “Subject” box, please type your name. In the message box, please copy both your thought piece and questions. You can type directly into the box, but I would suggest using another program like Word to type your response and questions first, and then simply copy the text into the message box.
A
couple of DO
NOTs
1. DO NOT make your initial post as a reply to
someone else’s post. Hit the “Add a new
discussion topic” button to make your first post. However, you are of course free to reply to
each other’s posts if you want (although it is not required).
2. DO
NOT include your thought piece and questions as an attachment. It just takes everyone more time to look at
yours if you do that.
Once 5 PM has passed, you should take time to read over each others’ posts, so we are ready to discuss.
This writing and sharing is probably the single most beneficial part of the class – it allows you to collect your own thoughts and learn from the thoughts of your fellow students.
More on Weekly Thought
Pieces
To make sure you have thoughts to share each week, each of you are to write a single 450-700 word commentary each week, focusing on all the assigned readings. A commentary should give a brief informal abstract(ie summary) of EACH AND EVERY ONE of the readings assigned for the week (a few sentences on what it is about, what the author argued, what it speaks to, etc.). In the summary, tell what the topic is, what the main theoretical lens is, what evidence the author used to make their point, and what is the main point the author wanted the reader to come away with.
The Weekly Thought Piece must also contain some original thoughts, analysis and/or criticisms on whatever you found striking in the readings: maybe how they connected together (or disagreed), or maybe a way a particular theory or method was used, or maybe a novel interpretation, etc. Maybe they shed light on something in the world and gave you a new way of thinking about things. These thoughts don’t have to be incredibly refined – they do have to be there.
Again,
to repeat, I only want one commentary from you each week. The exact format is up to you and whatever
works best for you is fine (e.g. one long flowing essay, more distinct sections
for each reading, following by a paragraph that makes connections and analysis,
etc). However, that one commentary must address all the readings, while also
showing some original thoughts.
I expect them to be ready 5 PM Wednesday. I am not expecting you to turn out a flawless piece of analysis, but I do expect you try your best to be grammatically correct, in complete sentences, analytically bold and to not just babble on with no structure. Continually sub-par work will be rewarded as such – and apparent to all your hard-working peers.
Each week is worth 10 points. As long as there is sincere effort, you should expect all or nearly all of these points. Lateness, bad writing, bad effort, or failure to respond to feedback from the professor will result in lost points.
Additionally,
once
(and only once) during the semester, you are allowed to pass on a
week’s readings. To use your pass, you
still have to make a new post in the forum, but just write “Pass” in the
message box.
Critical Essay, Proposal and Presentation
Although more details will follow,
for now it is important to know that the assignment will be a 2000-3000 word
critical analysis essay on some topic related to sports (defined very broadly)
that will also be presented to the group at the end of the seminar.[1]
To make sure you are on
the right track, you must do a proposal.
In that proposal you must write a one paragraph abstract including: what
theory you plan to use, what real world example/case you are analyzing, and
what your evidence/source material is.
You also have to provide three properly formatted citations: two from
authors read as part of class; the other which you have found on your own. The journals Journal of Sports and Social Issues and Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media,
Politics will be the best
places to search.
Also, so everyone in the course knows
what you are thinking, you will be presenting a short version of the essay in
class. This will be done during the last
few sessions of the course.
Teaching Website, On-Line Articles, and Updates
At the top of this
document, you will find the address for my teaching homepage,
which is http://www.fiu.edu/~bsmith/teaching.htm . There will be a copy of the syllabus there,
as well as the course schedule and instructions regarding the projects. In addition, I will post any announcements
(such as the unlikely event of a class cancelation), on this page as well. Thus,
if you have a question about the structure of the class (due dates, test
structure, etc.), check the website, because the answer will probably be
there.
Remember,
readings will be posted on http://fiu.blackboard.com
My office hours are posted at the top of this document. If you are having trouble at all, I strongly
encourage you to stop by or call during office hours, or make an appointment to
do so. My job is
to make sure you learn the material, not just to assign grades. If you have quick questions, seeing me
before or after class is a good option, as is email. Please do not call outside of office hours
– it is easier for me to answer an email than to play phone tag. If
you e-mail me, please put “SYA 4011” or “Social Theory” in the subject line –
so I know what class you are in. Also,
pretty please put your name in the email, so I know who I am replying to. As GSS Grad Director, I get a ton of email
everyday – putting those headings on really helps me to keep things straight.
Earning the Grade You Want & (Lack of Significant) Extra Credit
If you are doing poorly in the class, the time to ask how you can do
better is not right before, and especially not right after, final projects are
turned in. If you do badly on the first
or second test PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
come to office hours or make an appointment to see me as soon as possible after
that test, and I will help you devise strategies to study more effectively.
If there are events on campus (e.g. lectures) that are related to the
course that I announce in class, I may give 2 or 3 points
extra-credit if you attend. Other than
that, I will not give extra credit –
so there is no point in asking.
Nor will I go back and change grades after the semester is over and
grades have been submitted – you earn what you earn. It is the only thing that is fair to all
students in the course – I cannot give advancement opportunities to one I do
not give to all.
Academic Integrity,
Cheating and Plagiarism:
Cheating and plagiarism are done by pathetic and
desperate people – don’t be one of them.
If you plagiarize on your project, weekly responses or cheat on an exam
– you will receive at minimum a zero on that part of the course, which
instantly drops your score for the course by about 1.5 letter grades. If you find yourself in a desperate
situation while taking a test or up against a deadline – turn in the best work
you can do at the time. Getting an F
usually means you will get some points – getting caught cheating means you get
zero. Furthermore, depending on the
severity of the case, I can choose to pursue harsher penalties, including
assigning an F0 for the course or pursuing your expulsion from the university.
It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with
the FIU student handbook’s sections on cheating and plagiarism. Also, if you need to know more about how to
not plagiarize, please check out the following websites.
1)
“Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It (
Excused absences include serious illness; illness of a
spouse or dependent; death of an immediate family
member; University-sponsored trips; and major religious holy days. It is your responsibility to inform
me of the absence in advance of class by e-mail (and within 2 weeks of
the start of class if it is a university trip or holy day), but no later than
two class sessions after the missed class.
In order to have an absence excused, you must provide original
documentation which I can keep. If this
is done, and I determine the absence to be excused, I will do my best make sure
you make up what you missed.
Make-up exams will only be given in extreme
circumstances. The make-up exam will not be the same one given to those who took the
test on the established date, and will be given during the final examination
period, during which time you will take both the make-up exam and the final. To sit a make-up exam, you must 1)
provide documentation to me in class within two class periods of the missed
exam addressing why your absence qualifies as excused 2) have that
documentation accepted by me 3) email me asking to be given a make-up exam and
4) receive back an email from me confirming a make-up exam will be given.
Your choices to attend or not attend have consequences
– just like they would at work. I take
my responsibilities and role as a teacher seriously; I hope you hold your role
and responsibility as a student in equal respect.
Disclaimer
This syllabus is intended to give the
student guidance in what may be covered during the semester and will be
followed as closely as possible. However, the professor reserves the right to
modify, supplement and make changes as the course needs arise.
[1] This idea of the expanded thought papers, and suggestions on how to write them, come from a Concepts in Geography syllabus by John Paul Jones III created in Spring 2001.