Sociology of Sport - Lecture notes 1-10 PDF

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Professor Marcia Milne, all class material ...

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Sociology of Sport Introduction Class/World Vision  A fully democratized sport and leisure environment would include both the right to participate, regardless of one’s particular set of social characteristics, and the right to be involved in determination of the forms, circumstances and meanings of participation The Sociology of Sport: what is it and why study it? Definition: sociology of sport examines societal institutions and social determinants and their relationship to patterns of behaviour in sport Sport itself is an institution and influences our lives. Sports are a Social Phenomena   

Sports are related to the social and cultural context in which we live Sports provide stories and images used to explain & evaluate these contexts Sports provides a window into culture and society

Sociology is a tool for studying sports in society  

Sociology provides useful concepts, theories and research methods These tools enable us to examine social life in context and see connections between our lives and the larger social world

CULTURE  consists of the ways of life people create in a group or society These ways of life are produced, reproduced, and changed as people interact and sometimes struggle over:   

What is important in their lives How to do things How to make sense of their experiences

It encompasses all of the social ways of thinking, feeling and acting as people try to survive SPORTS AND CULTURE Sports, as parts of culture, have forms and meanings that vary from one group and society to the next, and vary over time as groups and societies change. Society  a collection of people, living in a defined geographic territory, united through a political system and a shared sense of self-identification that distinguishes themselves from other people (a sense of we-ness) The Sociology of Sport   

A subdiscipline of sociology that studies sport as part of social and cultural life Focuses primarily on “organized, competitive sports” Helps us to ask critical questions about sports in society

What is the Sociology of Sport? Looks for extrinsic, not intrinsic explanations to explain behaviour Extrinsic explanations (external circumstances)  societal institutions and social determinants Societal institutions are persistent patterns of behaviour in society that provide specific needs for that society. 

Can shape sport and can be shaped by sport o Ie. Concussions in sport (sport – media, medical, economics, law)

Sport and Social Determinants    Play

Social determinants are individual characteristics that take on significance Patterns of differential treatment, not individual attitudes Ex. Fewer sport opportunities/rewards for disabled athletes  a physical or mental leisure activity that is undertaken purely for enjoyment or amusement and has no other objective  involves expressive activity done for its own sake; it is often spontaneous and guided by informal, emergent norms

5 Characteristics that distinguish play from sport 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Free No limitations of time and space Outcome cannot be determined Activity is intrinsic in nature May contain an element of make believe

Games   

Activities with an agreed upon time, space and terrain Rules and outcomes are introduced at this point May be involved for both intrinsic and extrinsic reasons

One critical factor is that sport is ORGANIZED!!!!! What is Sport? Class Definition Sport is an INSTITUTIONALIZED, COMPETITIVE activity, that involves VIGOROUS PHYSICAL EXERTION or relatively COMPLEX physical skills, where participation is motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors Institutionalized: institutionalization is a process resulting in a standardized set of behaviours maintained over time and from one situation to another 1. Standardized Rules (official)

2. Rules enforced by regulatory agency (i.e. IOC, NCAA, MLB) 3. Organizational and technical aspects are important (controlled conditions i.e. court/field and results are documented) 4. Formalized learning of games skills (everyone knows the rules of the game, there’s coaches or trainers teaching skills) Sport is COMPETITIVE, there is a struggle for supremacy, against a person or inanimate objects, can involve physical ability, strategy, or chance. Skills need to be DEVELOPED. Are these skills complex? Is physical exertion required? i.e. nascar Intrinsic  satisfaction from activity Extrinsic  satisfaction from outside activity, personal enjoyment and reward IS TUG OF WAR A SPORT?  YES Arguments:  

From 1900-1920 tug of war was in the Olympics (brits won a lot) THERE IS COMPETITION (look at manual) There is a set of standardized rules with There is a governing agency enforcing rules

TUGOFWARI NTERNATI ONALFEDERATI ON i n c l ude sa r c hi v e so fr e s ul t s ,a n t ido p i n g Al s oi nc l ud e smi s s i ons t a t e me nt s ,t our na me nt ss c he du l e sa nds pons or s hi ppa c ka g e s Required uniform  outdoor Boot specifications (rule 8.4.1) with rules regarding the heel and sole

structure Thursday, May 10, 2018 Corporate Sport: aligned with big business, primary motive is profit (i.e. profit sharing, use of logos, broadcasting rights) Pseudosports: events or activities invented largely for the purpose of entertainment (i.e. monster trucks, roller derby, WWE) Media Sport: restructuring of rules of established sports to maximize drama (i.e. skins games all-star games, battles of superstars)

Pros and Cons of a precise definition of “sport” PROS  allows sport to be distinguished from other activities

 provides a common focus for people doing research and developing theories CONS  privileges people with resources to organize competitive games and the interest in doing so  overlooks those without resources or inclinations to compete Sports are contested activities, this means there are struggles over:  

The meaning, purpose, and organization of sports Who will participate and the conditions under which sport participation occurs

Whose sports count in society? Are Paralympic athletes better than able-bodied athletes? SOCIOLOGY may create controversies 

Those who benefit from the status quo may be threatened by such research findings

What is a Framework? A framework is a system that gives particular meaning to something An ideology is a framework of beliefs that guides behaviour Importance of an ideology?  

Affects what we see Affects how we interpret what we see

An ideology directs our attention to specific aspects of reality and interprets them systematically. Ideologies  webs of ideas and beliefs that people use to give meaning to the world and make sense of their experiences. The Characteristics of Ideologies:    

Never established “once and for all time” Emerge as people struggle over the meaning and organization of social life Are complex and sometimes inconsistent Change as power relationships change in society

Dominant Ideology  represents the perspectives and ideas favoured by people who have power and influence society, serves the interests of people with power and influence

Gender Ideology  web of ideas and beliefs about masculinity, femininity, and male-female relationships Dominant Gender Ideology: prevailing notions of “common sense” about maleness and femaleness in a group or society Racial Ideology web of ideas and beliefs that people use to give meaning to skin colour and to evaluate people in terms of racial classifications Class Ideology  web of ideas and beliefs that people use to understand economic inequalities and ake sense of their own position in an economic hierarchy in society Examination of Class Framework  

   

KEEPS YOU HEALTHY (mentally/physically) i.e. seniors can benefit from doing weights i.e. anorexia in sport; sports injuries SELF BUILDING/SELF ESTEEM i.e. athletes develop leadership skills through sport i.e. athletes who retire often feel lost in life; athletes are treated like a commodity; steroid use for looks GOOD SOCIALIZATION SKILLS i.e. learn to get along with team mates i.e. learn to discriminate and cheat GOOD SOCIAL OUTLET i.e. Olympics pulls the country together behind our team i.e. soccer deaths (brussels, south America); post-games celebrations (destroy property) BUILDS CHARACTER i.e. athletes can become politicians i.e. gambling among athletes ENTERTAINING i.e. watching elite sport on TV i.e. focus on violence and fighting

Monday, May 14, 2018 General Historical Issues There are fewer contrasts between the games that different people play today Variations exist because sports are cultural practices that can serve a variety of social purposes. People create sports within the constraints of the social words in which they live. Characteristics of Dominant Sport Forms Today 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Secularism (sport was not linked to religious beliefs) Equality (participation open to everyone) Specialization (athletes are dedicated to a single event/position) Rationalization (sports are guided by rules & conditions) Bureaucratization (governed by complex organizations) Quantification (timing, measurements, performance data is recorded)

7. Records (the best is documented, some kind of tracking system) Sports in Ancient Greece 1000BC – 100BC Era of Brute Masculinity                     

Grounded in mythology Linked with religious beliefs Characterized by: gender exclusion, class & political significance, frequent violence They were held in honor of ZEUS During the celebration an OLYMPIC TRUCE was enacted The games became a political tool used by city-states to assert dominance over their rivals Olympic truce  all fighting/wars would be put aside during competition The last running event added to the Olympic program was the HOPLITODROMOS, or “hoplite race” Traditionally run as the last race of the Olympic games The runners would run in full or partial armour, weighing up to 60lbs. This showed strength and stamina of the athletes. Women were forbidden even to set foot in the main stadium at Olympia Married women were forbidden to watch the Olympics under penalty of death Competitors were from wealthy families Political significance  winning connected to power in certain cities Rewarded with cash and better living expenses Heraean Games  dedicated to the goddess Hera were the first sanctioned (and recorded) women’s athletic competition to be held in the stadium at Olympia Originally consisted of foot races Girls were not encouraged to be athletes Spartans believed that strong women would produce strong future warriors These girl athletes were unmarried and competed nude or wearing short dresses Boys were allowed to watch the athletes, in the hopes of creating marriages and offspring

Roman Contests and Games 100BC – AD500 

Emphasized spectacle, combat, and the power of political leaders

Sport had 2 uses: 1. Train soldiers  borrowed events from the Greek 2. Entertainment  recruited slaves to participate Characterized by:

    

Diversions for the masses Events were used by the government to control the masses Slaves entertained the wealthy Criminals were made to fight animals Gladiators fought each other

Romans transformed the ritual nature of Greek spot into spectacle entertainment Characteristics: a) Heavily male chauvinistic b) Demonstrations of great strength and athleticism c) Brutally violent Athletes  criminals who have lost their citizenship privileges, slaves, and prisoners of war   

Stadiums and gymnasia were built for games Hosted by the rich as a display of wealth Most popular sports in all of Roman Empire were boxing, chariot racing, and gladiator battles

Boxing  no grabbing, no set time for rounds, if match went too long- trade blows (no defense) until someone gave up Chariot racing  held in Circus Maximus, a giant oval stadium that seated 200,000 spectators, drivers were usually slaves, to increase agility, chariots were made as light as possible. The bottom line was to make profit and keep the Roman citizens entertain to avoid uprising. Medieval Europe 500 – 1300         

Nobility expected to fight to offer security Lords expected to provide trained soldiers for kings Sports were used as fighting and weapon practice Provided opportunities for financial gain Archery was extremely important Archery law: every man aged 15-60 required to equip himself with bow and arrow Nobility played: colf, hurling, stroolball, skittles Folk games played by peasants: folk-football Gender restrictions grounded in religious dogma and beliefs

Renaissance 

Increasing control over peasants

 

People’s lives often restricted by labour Card games, tennis and volleyball popular during this time

Reformation & Enlightenment        

Calvinist and Puritan beliefs did not promote or support leisure Sports constituted diversions for people Puritans(extremists) tried to eliminate sport all together and or exercise extreme control Devoted to work and good ethics Sports were profane Men need to live godly lives Need hard work to survive Primary targets of Puritans were the games of the peasants

During the Reformation period in UK, those in Europe wanted to come to North America to escape the Puritans Here in Canada, we had a mix of natives and new culture. They needed to start building roads and shelters, which began the practice of lumberjack. In all areas of popular culture there is a history of cultural struggle  sport is no exception In Canada, numerous bitter conflicts over which sporting practices, which beliefs styles should dominate National summer sport  lacrosse National winter sport  hockey Early Sport in Canada Indigenous Peoples: games had utilitarian purposes, many games were related to survival Wrestling, archery, spear throwing, foot and canoe racing  survival purposes Baggattaway (lacrosse), dancing  religious purposes Lacrosse   

Originally played by Aboriginal peoples  baggataway While it was embraced by this new dominated culture, they imposed their own rules, name and style of play Making the game more “respectable”

Reformation & Enlightenment

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During enlightenment period, sports started to resemble the sports that we have today Sports were no longer deeply rooted in religion and religious ceremonies People did not see them as having purpose and there was no need for organization

Industrial Revolution: Early Years 1780 – 1920   

Organized competitive sports emerged, especially among elite Time and space for games were limited in urban areas Slavery among Africans, and exploitation of other workers limited widespread involvement in sports

Industrial Revolution: Later Years      

Greatest impact on sport came from advances in technology Steamboat, railway, steam powered printing press, telegraph One day excursions to matches was possible Most sports were segregated by social class and race Gentry Masculinity  achievement and gentlemanly involvement Sport controlled by upper class  no blacks or indigenous people

Privileged groups  cultural practices are most values and legitimate Sport in our culture is viewed as “masculating project”  a cultural practice in which boys learn to be men and male solidarity is forged Tuesday, May 14, 2018 Sport has been a vehicle for the maintenance of masculine hegemony  the ways in which male power shapes our view of the world The history of women in sport is a history of cultural resistance One factor leading to increased women’s sport participation  safety bicycle Beginning of “The New Woman”  

Women could go where they wanted with whomever they wanted Established a measure of independence and self-confidence

Safety Bicycle   

2 wheels of equal size More stable (old men and women) Women in billowing skirts could ride it

  

Then came bloomers and split skirts The bicycle became a source of freedom for women Joined bicycle clubs, took lessons at special school

Beginning of “The New Woman” Pros

 open air was invigorating for women’s health  strengthened their muscles  refreshed their minds  got rid of damaging corset

Cons  uterine displacement  potential for masturbation ”pelvic mischief” How?  

Manly/muscular Christianity  producing men of character through athleticism and team sports It soon became a measure success later in life o Meaning those who could survive demanding activities were best suited to become the politically and economic elite

We have this idea of Manliness: Physical virility and the idea of Christian morality ensure influence and success in the public and economic spheres But without sport  boys will become like women: delicate and effeminate The expulsion of all that is effeminate Schools, churches, other organizations began to promote sport among male youth Specifically built facilities, hosted events, and developed programs i.e. YMCA, boy scouts, and boy’s clubs On the other hand, we have an idea of Womanliness:  

Grace and beauty leading to sharing, and intimacy in a domestic capacity Women were perceived as masculinized



What was the big fear? o If women developed masculine interests, men in turn would have to cultivate feminine interests

Despite these objections:   

Games and sport started to appear in Canadian girls’ private schools However, nationalism, athletic dominance and maintenance of order was not a priority The focus was on a program of measurement

Assuming control-battling gender order      

For many women, the war was a liberating experience because men went away to fight Women entered the workforce, filling in the jobs once occupied by the men now sent off to fight Organized track and field began to serge in popularity after the war Track and field was controlled by the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada (AAU) They refused to accept female registrants In fact, both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) opposed including women’s sport in the summer Olympics

The Federation Sportive Feminine Internationale (FSFI) Founded in 1921 by Alice Milliat- unwillingness of the IOC and the IAAF to let women compete in sports, particularly at an international level Women’s World Games 

Games held every 4 years

The first golf club was founded by Ada MacKenzie and run specifically for women was called – the Toronto Ladies Golf and Tennis Club Arthur Lamb was against competition for women because he believed that they couldn’t compete because they menstruated (this hindered women), they were lower weight, inferior strength, more accident prone, intense physical activity would displace her womb leaving her barren, women would never do as well as men so why bother. “A game for every girl and a girl for every game”    

Modified sport “girls rules” No contact hockey – sever penalties 6 player a side basketball Each player could only move either half or one-third of the floor

**insert title IX* Wednesday, May 15, 2018 2 Question exam, answer 1 of them: opinion based, support your opinion using lecture notes Wednesday, May 22, 2018 Doing Gender What is gender?     

Social construction Beliefs Attitude Behaviours Masculine and feminine

Creating differences between boys and girls Differences  not natural, or biological These differences are used to reinforce the essentials of gender   

Sex is considered a given Gender is an accomplishment “Routine”  ...