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Sports and Society

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Sports and Society

Instructor: Orin Starn

37,617 already enrolled

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7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

1,379 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.

1,379 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 videos Total 59 minutes

Understanding Play and Sports, Part 1 6 minutes
Understanding Play and Sports, Part 2 9 minutes
Why Do We Like to Play? Part 1 5 minutes
Why Do We Like to Play? Part 2 9 minutes
The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 1 10 minutes
The Origins of Modern Sports, Part 2 8 minutes
Capoeira 12 minutes

8 readings Total 80 minutes

The Course Basics (note: all essential class information here!!!) 10 minutes
Links to Course Readings 10 minutes
List of Key Terms 10 minutes
Grading Policy 10 minutes
About the Instructor 10 minutes
The Sports and Society Book Club (optional) 10 minutes
The Sports and Society Movie Club (optional) 10 minutes
Report a problem with the course 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Week 1 Quiz 30 minutes

What's included

7 videos1 assignment

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videos Total 86 minutes

Race and American Sports, Part 1 11 minutes
Race and American Sports, Part 2 9 minutes
The Native American Mascot Controversy 11 minutes
The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 1 12 minutes
The Social Demographics of Sports, Part 2 7 minutes
Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 1 7 minutes
Zidane and Bruce Lee, Part 2 9 minutes
Golf, Part 1 9 minutes
Golf, Part 2 11 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Week 3 Quiz 30 minutes

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videos Total 94 minutes

A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 1 8 minutes
A Short History of Women’s Sports, Part 2 12 minutes
Women’s Sports Today, Part 1 9 minutes
Women’s Sports Today, Part 2 11 minutes
The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 1 10 minutes
The Long Sporting Life of Homophobia, Part 2 9 minutes
The Transgender Athlete 10 minutes
The Fitness Revolution, Part 1 10 minutes
The Fitness Revolution, Part 2 13 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Week 4 Quiz 30 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 Course 37,617 learners

Offered by

Duke University

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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 Jan 6, 2020

One of the best courses that mixed interesting facts with theories. I study sports management, it's really intriguing to see how sports social values entwined with each other in history!

Reviewed on Jul 25, 2020

This is the best course on Coursera for sports enthusiasts and I have never seen an instructor like Orin Starn. The way he delivered the course made this course beyond perfect.

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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.