Inclusive and Critical Approaches to Sport

Catalog description

This course is designed to guide students to explore intersections between sport and broader social identity- and justice-related issues. Students will critically interrogate the context and role of sport in society in order to identify and contest marginalizing dynamics related to social identity. The main forms of social identity oppression that will be examined include racism, sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, classism, and ableism-all informed by the underlying notion of intersectionality, or the idea that groups or individuals are directly impacted by multiple forms of intersecting marginalized social identifiers (Bowleg, 2012). While students may come to the class with varying levels of knowledge and comfort talking about social issues (e.g., race, gender), this course aims to introduce students to critical concepts and approaches in an accessible, practical way. This course will equip students (as emerging leaders in athletics) with the critical awareness and skills to better create empowering and inclusive sport experiences for all and promote equity.