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Sports and Society

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Sports and Society

Instructor: Orin Starn

37,632 already enrolled

Included with

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7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

1,380 reviews

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

1,380 reviews

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

7 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 7 modules in this course

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

7 videosTotal 59 minutes

Understanding Play and Sports, Part 16 minutes
Understanding Play and Sports, Part 29 minutes
Why Do We Like to Play? Part 15 minutes
Why Do We Like to Play? Part 29 minutes
The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 110 minutes
The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 28 minutes
Capoeira12 minutes

8 readingsTotal 80 minutes

The Course Basics (note: all essential class information here!!!)10 minutes
Links to Course Readings10 minutes
List of Key Terms10 minutes
Grading Policy10 minutes
About the Instructor10 minutes
The Sports and Society Book Club (optional)10 minutes
The Sports and Society Movie Club (optional)10 minutes
Report a problem with the course10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 1 Quiz 30 minutes

What's included

7 videos1 assignment

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videosTotal 86 minutes

Race and American Sports, Part 111 minutes
Race and American Sports, Part 29 minutes
The Native American Mascot Controversy11 minutes
The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 112 minutes
The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 27 minutes
Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 17 minutes
Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 29 minutes
Golf, Part 19 minutes
Golf, Part 211 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 3 Quiz30 minutes

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videosTotal 94 minutes

A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 18 minutes
A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 212 minutes
Women’s Sports Today, Part 19 minutes
Women’s Sports Today, Part 211 minutes
The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 110 minutes
The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 29 minutes
The Transgender Athlete10 minutes
The Fitness Revolution, Part 110 minutes
The Fitness Revolution, Part 213 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 4 Quiz30 minutes

What's included

6 videos1 assignment

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

What's included

6 videos1 reading1 assignment

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(383 ratings)

Orin Starn

Duke University

1 Course37,632 learners

Offered by

Duke University

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Reviewed on Jun 22, 2020

Loved every Bit of this course!Sports illustrated with so many different perspectives, this course is a must for anyone who want to strengthen their bond with sports..

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.

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.

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Frequently asked questions

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.

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.

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.