Teaching
To help teachers make use of Engaging Sports in the classroom, we have created the following “syllabus” of articles organized under some of the major topics covered in sociology of sport (updated August 2022).
COVID-19 Pandemic
The following articles may help students think about sport in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Putting School on Ice? COVID-19 and the U SPORTS to Professional Hockey Pipeline
An Uneven Playing Surface: Rethinking the Backyard Ice Rink
The Tokyo Olympics and the “Death Drive” of Capitalism
Taiwanese Nationalism and Professional Baseball in the Time of COVID-19
“Doing Nothing: During the COVID-19 Suspension of Sport
The Human Impact of a Sport-less Society
Being a Basketball Fan During the Black Lives Matter Movement and a Global Pandemic
Sport & activism
The following articles may help students consider the relationship between sport and social activism.
When Being Black Rises Above Being an Athlete
Being a Basketball Fan During the Black Lives Matter Movement and a Global Pandemic
Kicking Toward a Different Goal: Black Activism and Transnational Anti-Racism in English Soccer
Anything but Race: NFL Fans’ Avoidance of the Issue
The Enduring Legacy of the “Black Power” Salute
For NFL Players, Social Media is Key to Winning PR Battle Over Anthem Protests
#PlayingWhileWhite: The Colin Kaepernick Saga and the (A)political White Athlete
Gender & sexuality
The following articles may help students to consider the ways in which sports reproduce (and at times challenge) dominant ideologies related to gender and sexuality.
How U.S. Politicians are Using Moral Panics to Sideline Trans Athletes
Are You a Sports Fan? (Your Gender and Sexuality May Have Something to Do With It)
Women MMA Athletes: Challenging or Preserving Patriarchy in Intimate Relationships?
The X League: An Illegal Hold on Women’s Sporting Possibilities
New Title IX Sexual Assault Guidelines Mean Less Accountability for Athletics
Gendered Experiences in eSports
North American Women’s Ice Hockey Players Struggle for a League of Their Own
The Demise of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League: A re-cap
It’s Time to Invest in Women’s Soccer
What’s in a Name? Sexism in Rock Climbing Route Names
Engendering Fandom: Audience Building in Women’s Professional Soccer
Marchand’s “Kissing” and the NHL’s Hypocrisy
Aly Raisman and Rhetorical Activism: Complicating the “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Conundrum”
“Hey, Pretty Girl”: Sexual Harassment in Sports Media
A Riveting Deal with the Devil(s): Advancing Women’s Professional Hockey
Quidditch: ‘Spelling’ Out Gender in Sport
From Sierens to Mowins, Challenges and Advances for Female Sportscasters
Accepting or Subverting Norms of Femininity? The Case of Female Bodybuilders
Success at Last? The National Women’s Soccer League Kicks Off Fifth Season
“One Shining Moment” – NCAA March Madness and Male Emotional Expression
Better Locker Rooms: It’s Not Just a Transgender Thing
Why Minnesota’s Near Boycott Matters to Fans and Critics of College Football
Podium Girls: Time to End the “Tradition”
Sexism and the Super Bowl: What Can We Learn from Female Sports Fans?
Gender Equality Achieved? A Look at Women’s Tennis and Corporate Social Responsibility
Race, ethnicity, & nationality
The following articles may help students to consider the ways in which sports reproduce (and at times challenge) dominant ideologies related to race, ethnicity, and nationality.
“I’m Never Playing Again”: Barriers to Success for Racialized Canadian Hockey Players
Historical Memory and the Rangers vs Celtic Soccer Rivalry in Scotland
Black Girls RUN! and the Importance of Finding a Fitness Community
Orientalism and Media Coverage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup
Remembering Kobe Bryant, the Black Man
Being a Basketball Fan During the Black Lives Matter Movement and a Global Pandemic
When Being Black Rises Above Being an Athlete
Kicking Toward a Different Goal: Black Activism and Transnational Anti-Racism in English Soccer
Taiwanese Nationalism and Professional Baseball in the Time of COVID-19
Celebrating Irishness in Scotland: Celtic Football Club’s Historic 1967 Victory in Europe
How India Came to Love Cricket, Favored Sport of its Colonial British Rulers
Whose History Matters? Diversity and the Canadian Outdoors
I’m a Marijuana User and a “Good Person”: Race and Marijuana Use in Sport
The Ogwumike Sisters Offer a Way to Think Differently About the Black Athlete
Anything but Race: NFL Fans’ Avoidance of the Issue
The Enduring Legacy of the “Black Power” Salute
Soccer, Race and Empire: Locating the Past in the Present
What Counts as National Tragedy? The Cruel Pessimism of Humboldt
Challenging the Narrative of #HumboldtStrong: Power, Politics, and Sporting Nationalism
Who Represents South Korea? Selective Nationalism in Korean Ice Hockey
Media Coverage of the Nigerian Women’s Bobsled Team will be…Complicated
Assessing the Patterns: Race, Class, and Opportunities in American Football
#PlayingWhileWhite: The Colin Kaepernick Saga and the (A)political White Athlete
Maccabiah 2017: The 20th Jewish Olympics
From Reviled to Respected: The Half-Century Evolution from Muhammad Ali’s “Draft Dodging”
#SheBelieves, But Who is She? Race, Ethnicity, and the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team
Boundaries Are a Reality For Sporting Migrants
Tennis on Colonized Land: A trip to Indian Wells, California
Race and Recruiting on College Football Message Boards
#LOL at Multiculturalism: Reactions to Hockey Night Punjabi
Social class, labor, & society
The following articles may encourage students to think critically about issues of social class and labor/work in sports and society.
The Precarious Labor of Professional Skateboarders
An Uneven Playing Surface: Rethinking the Backyard Ice Rink
The Neoliberal Legacy of “The Decision” and Media Framing NBA Free Agency
Women’s Soccer in the United States: A “Wealth” Of Talent
What Counts as National Tragedy? The Cruel Pessimism of Humboldt
Challenging the Narrative of #HumboldtStrong: Power, Politics, and Sporting Nationalism
Bicycles as a Tool for Development?
Assessing the Patterns: Race, Class, and Opportunities in American Football
Complicating “True Fandom”: Reflections on the Cleveland Browns “Perfect Season” Parade
Unity for What? The Togetherness Created by Sports
Media
The following articles may help raise critical questions about the relationship between sports and the media.
The Precarious Labor of Professional Skateboarders
Orientalism and Media Coverage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup
The Neoliberal Legacy of “The Decision” and Media Framing NBA Free Agency
College Athletes’ Voices Are Sidelined in Media Coverage of NIL Debate
Inequities in Media Coverage of Mental Health in Professional Sports
For NFL Players, Social Media is Key to Winning PR Battle Over Anthem Protests
#Muslim #Sportswoman: Dismantling Dominant Narratives through Digital Media
Media Coverage of the Nigerian Women’s Bobsled Team will be…Complicated
“Hey, Pretty Girl”: Sexual Harassment in Sports Media
From Sierens to Mowins, Challenges and Advances for Female Sportscasters
Are esports the Next Major League Sport?
“Stick to Sports:” Politics and the Sports Media in the Digital Age
Corporate social responsibility
The following articles may be helpful in encouraging students to consider critical questions about issues of corporate social responsibility in sport.
Are Bikes Good for the Environment?
The Tokyo Olympics and the “Death Drive” of Capitalism
British Soccer Stadium Safety and Glasgow’s Ibrox Crowd Disaster of 1971
Whose History Matters? Diversity and the Canadian Outdoors
#Commongoal: Athletic Philanthropy and the Limits of Charity
To See the World through a Mountain: Mount Gariwang and the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games
And the Circus Leaves Town…! Rio 2016’s Emerging Legacy
Sporting mega-events
The following articles may help students consider critical questions about the impacts and issues associated with sporting mega-events, such as the Olympic Games.
Orientalism and Media Coverage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup
The Tokyo Olympics and the & “Death Drive” of Capitalism
The Enduring Legacy of the “Black Power” Salute
Who Represents South Korea? Selective Nationalism in Korean Ice Hockey
Watching the World Cup Through Sociological Lenses
Winter Olympics, the Games of the Few
Desperate Times, Desperate Measures for the IOC
To See the World through a Mountain: Mount Gariwang and the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games
Maccabiah 2017: The 20th Jewish Olympics
The IOC and the United Nations: Strategic and Strange Bedfellows?
And the Circus Leaves Town…! Rio 2016’s Emerging Legacy
Fitness
The following articles may help students consider critical questions related to fitness practices and cultures.
Black Girls RUN! and the Importance of Finding a Fitness Community
CrossFit: Reimagining the Body in a Bodiless World
Health, violence, & injury
The following aricles may help students consider critical issues regarding the relationship between sports, violence, injuries, and people’s health.
Concussion in Canadian Surf Culture
Combat Sports: Fighting for Community
I’m a Marijuana User and a “Good Person”: Race and Marijuana Use in Sport
Understanding the Concussion Crisis in Sport
Inequities in Media Coverage of Mental Health in Professional Sports
The Process of Becoming a Doper
Can Technology Alone Solve the “Concussion Crisis”?
Criminology
The following articles may help students consider critical questions regarding the relationship between sports and criminology.
Criminal Behavior and College Football
Sport Behind Bars: Social Control, Resistance, and the Physical Culture of Prisons
Religion
The following articles may help students consider critical questions regarding the relationship between sports and religion.
Historical Memory and the Rangers vs Celtic Soccer Rivalry in Scotland
Orientalism and Media Coverage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup
#Muslim #Sportswoman: Dismantling Dominant Narratives through Digital Media
From Reviled to Respected: The Half-Century Evolution from Muhammad Ali’s “Draft Dodging”
Tim Tebow’s Baseball Rebirth in Trump’s America
Environment & sustainability
The following articles may help students consider critical issues regarding the relationship between sports, sustainability, and the environment.
Are Bikes Good for the Environment?
A Wake-Up Call? Donald Trump, Sport, and Sustainable Development
College sport
The following articles may help students consider critical issues in college sport.
Putting School on Ice? COVID-19 and the U SPORTS to Professional Hockey Pipeline
College Athletes’ Voices Are Sidelined in Media Coverage of NIL Debate
When Being Black Rises Above Being an Athlete
New Title IX Sexual Assault Guidelines Mean Less Accountability for Athletics
In Scandal After Scandal, NCAA Takes Fall for Complicit Colleges
Are Universities Helping Athletes “Go Pro in Something Other Than Sports?”
Criminal Behavior and College Football
Jubilant Times Can Spotlight the Shadows
Why Minnesota’s Near Boycott Matters to Fans and Critics of College Football
Race and Recruiting on College Football Message Boards
By Sport
Below, you will find a listing of Engaging Sports articles organized according to the sport on which the article focuses.
Baseball
Taiwanese Nationalism and Professional Baseball in the Time of COVID-19
Tim Tebow’s Baseball Rebirth in Trump’s America
Soccer, Race and Empire: Locating the Past in the Present
Basketball
The Neoliberal Legacy of “The Decision” and Media Framing NBA Free Agency
Remembering Kobe Bryant, the Black Man
Being a Basketball Fan During the Black Lives Matter Movement and a Global Pandemic
The Ogwumike Sisters Offer a Way to Think Differently About the Black Athlete
Inequities in Media Coverage of Mental Health in Professional Sports
Professional Sports Fans Will Always Be Disappointed
Jubilant Times Can Spotlight the Shadows
“One Shining Moment” – NCAA March Madness and Male Emotional Expression
Boundaries Are a Reality For Sporting Migrants
Combat Sports
Women MMA Athletes: Challenging or Preserving Patriarchy in Intimate Relationships?
Combat Sports: Fighting for Community
From Reviled to Respected: The Half-Century Evolution from Muhammad Ali’s “Draft Dodging”
Cycling
Are Bikes Good for the Environment?
Bicycles as a Tool for Development?
Podium Girls: Time to End the “Tradition”
eSports
Gendered Experiences in eSports
Are esports the Next Major League Sport?
Football (American)
The X League: An Illegal Hold on Women’s Sporting Possibilities
I’m a Marijuana User and a “Good Person”: Race and Marijuana Use in Sport
Anything but Race: NFL Fans’ Avoidance of the Issue
Complicating “True Fandom”: Reflections on the Cleveland Browns “Perfect Season” Parade
Assessing the Patterns: Race, Class, and Opportunities in American Football
Criminal Behavior and College Football
#PlayingWhileWhite: The Colin Kaepernick Saga and the (A)political White Athlete
Why Minnesota’s Near Boycott Matters to Fans and Critics of College Football
Sexism and the Super Bowl: What Can We Learn from Female Sports Fans?
Race and Recruiting on College Football Message Boards
Football (soccer)
Historical Memory and the Rangers vs Celtic Soccer Rivalry in Scotland
Orientalism and Media Coverage of the 2022 Qatar World Cup
British Soccer Stadium Safety and Glasgow’s Ibrox Crowd Disaster of 1971
Kicking Toward a Different Goal: Black Activism and Transnational Anti-Racism in English Soccer
Celebrating Irishness in Scotland: Celtic Football Club’s Historic 1967 Victory in Europe
Women’s Soccer in the United States: A “Wealth” Of Talent
It’s Time to Invest in Women’s Soccer
Soccer, Race and Empire: Locating the Past in the Present
Engendering Fandom: Audience Building in Women’s Professional Soccer
Until Youth Soccer is Fixed, US Men’s National Team is Destined to Fail
#Commongoal: Athletic Philanthropy and the Limits of Charity
Success at Last? The National Women’s Soccer League Kicks Off Fifth Season
#SheBelieves, But Who is She? Race, Ethnicity, and the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team
Golf
A Wake-Up Call? Donald Trump, Sport, and Sustainable Development
Ice hockey
“I’m Never Playing Again”: Barriers to Success for Racialized Canadian Hockey Players
Putting School on Ice? COVID-19 and the U SPORTS to Professional Hockey Pipeline
An Uneven Playing Surface: Rethinking the Backyard Ice Rink
North American Women’s Ice Hockey Players Struggle for a League of Their Own
The Demise of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League: A re-cap
What Counts as National Tragedy? The Cruel Pessimism of Humboldt
Challenging the Narrative of #HumboldtStrong: Power, Politics, and Sporting Nationalism
Who Represents South Korea? Selective Nationalism in Korean Ice Hockey
Marchand’s “Kissing” and the NHL’s Hypocrisy
A Riveting Deal with the Devil(s): Advancing Women’s Professional Hockey
Can Technology Alone Solve the “Concussion Crisis”?
#LOL at Multiculturalism: Reactions to Hockey Night Punjabi
Outdoor/Alternative Sports
The Precarious Labor of Professional Skateboarders
Concussion in Canadian Surf Culture
Whose History Matters? Diversity and the Canadian Outdoors
What’s in a Name? Sexism in Rock Climbing Route Names
CrossFit: Reimagining the Body in a Bodiless World
Tennis
New Balls Please! Recognizing the Sociological Importance of Tennis
Opening up the Game: Remembering Wimbledon’s Role in the Movement for “Open Tennis”
Tennis on Colonized Land: A trip to Indian Wells, California
Gender Equality Achieved? A Look at Women’s Tennis and Corporate Social Responsibility