University of Maryland College Park School of Public Health

Department of Kinesiology

http://www.sph.umd.edu/KNES/  

 

KNES 287 – SPORT AND AMERICAN SOCIETY

Semester: Fall 2014 Classroom and Time: SPH 1312 (MW 2.00-2.50pm)

Instructor: Adam S. Beissel Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday 1:00-2:00pm, and by appointment

Office: SPH 2361 Phone: 301-405-8265 Email: abeissel@umd.edu

Faculty Website www.knes287.info

Teaching Assistant: Victor Lopes

Office Hours: Mon 9:00-10:00; Wed 10:00-11:00, and by apt.

Office: SPH Phone: Email: vblopes@umd.edu

TA Website www.knes287.info

Teaching Assistant: Stephanie Cork Office Hours: Monday 1:00-2:00; 3:00-4:00 & by appointment

Office: SPH 1225 Phone: 301-405-0448 Email: stephaniejcork@gmail.com

TA Website www.knes287.info

Teaching Assistant: Shaun Edmonds Office Hours: Wednesday 3:00-5:00 & by appointment

Office: SPH 1303 Phone: 301-405-2575 Email: shaunkun@gmail.com

TA Website www.knes287.info

DISCUSION SECTIONS (BEGINNING MONDAY SEPTEMBER 16) Section Day Time Room TA 0101 M 8:00-8:50am SPH 0303 Victor 0102 M 9:00-9:50am SPH 0303 Shaun 0103 M 10:00-10:50am SPH 0303 Shaun 0104 W 8:00-8:50am SPH 0303 Stephanie 0105 W 9:00-9:50am SPH 0303 Victor 0107U M 11:00-11:50am SPH 0305 Shaun 0108U W 11:00-11:50pm SPH 0305 Stephanie

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Website: This is the single most important piece of information you will receive during this course as this website has comprehensive course information, such as, lecture outlines, key concepts, assignments, grading, and required readings:

http://www.knes287.info Username: knes287 Password: fulhamish

**both of these are case-sensitive**

*The instructors reserve the right to make changes to any element of this course throughout the semester (including, but not restricted to: this syllabus; any exams, papers, or other grading components; lecture content;

and readings

COURSE PRE- AND CO-REQUISITES Required: N/A Recommended: N/A

COURSE MATERIALS Required Texts and Other Readings: Required: The required course readings and materials are located on the course website: http://www.knes287.info Recommended: The recommended course readings and materials are located on the course website: http://www.knes287.info Additional Materials Required: The primary resource for the course is the course website (www.umdknes.com/knes287), which provides details of the following: course description; objectives; designations; course modules and weekly focus; forms of assessment; criteria for assessment; and, information on course instructors. Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the structure and contents of the course website as soon as possible.

COURSE CATALOG DESCRIPTION Sport will be related to such social problems as delinquency, segregation, collective behavior, and leisure; to social processes such as socialization, stratification, mobility, and social control; and to those familiar social institutions as the family, the school, the church, the military, the economy, the polity, and the mass media.

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COURSE OVERVIEW To some people, sport exists as a realm of popular experience somehow removed or isolated from the forces and pressures that come to define the rest of society. This course seeks to explode this sporting mythology, by highlighting the extent to which sport is in fact a social construction, which can only be understood in relation to the society and social relations in question. As such, this course encourages students to develop a truly sociological sporting imagination, with regard to their perceptions and experiences of the necessary interrelationship between sport culture and the forces, institutions, and processes, structuring contemporary American society. In doing so, this course focuses on: the relationship between sport and commercial, media, and public institutions; the effects of commodifying, corporatizing, mass-mediating, and global processes on the structure contemporary sport; and, the influence contemporary sport culture has on the shaping of particular class, race, gender, age, and nation-based identities and experiences; and, the various collective groupings—subcultural, urban, community, and national—through which sport is organized and experienced within contemporary life.

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. [Following C. Wright Mills] Develop their own sociologically-based sporting imaginations through which they will be able to identify and interpret sporting institutions, practices, and bodies as being both constituted and constituting elements of contemporary American context in which they are located.

2. Derive a better understanding of the relationship between sport and the social, cultural, economic, political, and technological forces and relations operating in twenty-first century America.

3. Assess the dominant power structures, processes, and relations in and through which contemporary sport culture operates, and examine their effects upon shaping particular class, race, gender, sex, age, and nation-based bodies, identities, and experiences

4. Illustrate the existence of, and be able to propose solutions for, any disparities, inequalities, and/or injustices operating within contemporary sport culture.

5. Think both critically and reflexively about their own sporting experiences and bodies, and the degree to which they are enabled and/or constrained by wider societal forces, structures, and power relations.

6. Synthesize and apply concepts drawn from social and cultural theorizing in critically appraising various empirical dimensions of sport

KINESIOLOGY COMPETENCIES ADDRESSED IN THIS COURSE The following competencies for the Kinesiology program are addressed in this course:

1. Students will interpret, synthesize, and critically analyze research underlying the kinesiological dimension of physical activity and health.

2. Students will develop principled reasoning skills necessary to apply and extend kinesiological knowledge to address problems that are relevant to physical activity and the health of diverse populations.

3. Students will integrate, interrogate, and communicate the connection between the scholarship of kinesiology and the goals of public health.

4. Students will integrate their physical activity experiences with kinesiology sub-disciplinary knowledge.

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UNIVERSITY CORE COURSE DESIGNATIONS - Distributive Studies: Social Sciences & History-Social & Behavioural Science CORE Course Designation - Human Cultural Diversity [D] CORE Course Designation NEW GENERAL EDUCATIONS REQUIREMENTS - Distributive Studies - History and Social Sciences - Diversity - Understanding Plural Societies

COURSE DETAILS (for further details see the course website):

The course is divided into 3 modules, with four topics covered in each module. The course is structured in such a way that each topic is covered over the course of a week. Within a week (Mon-Sun), you will be expected to:

1. Go over lecture notes, view video clips, read required readings, review the key concepts, and test your

understanding of the course content with the thematic review questions. 2. Attend, and contribute to, your assigned discussion discussion section. 3. Decide whether to complete an optional essay assignment for that topic (in total you must complete 2

topic assignments for the course: one from module I and one from either module II or III).

Although there is no set daily schedule for the course (apart from the discussions sections which are on Monday/Wednesdays), you are strongly encouraged to adhere to the following schedule:

1. Monday-Thursday: Go over lecture notes, view video clips, read required readings, review the key concepts and test your understanding of the course content with the thematic review questions 2. Monday/Wednesday: Attend, and contribute to, your assigned discussion discussion section 3. Saturday-Sunday: Decide whether to, and if so complete, optional weekly written assignment

ASSESSMENT Students will be assessed on the following 5 course components and corresponding values

See course web page for more details of these assessment components

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COURSE OUTLINE / COURSE CALENDAR:

Module 1: Sport Structures and Processes

September 3 Introductions

Topic 1 September 8 & 10 Sport and the Sociological Imagination

Topic 2 September 15 & 17 Sport and the Neoliberal Political Order

Topic 3 September 22 & 24 The Corporeal Economy of Sport

Topic 4 September 29 & October 1 Society of the Sporting Spectacle

Monday October 6 Review Session

Wednesday October 8 MODULE I EXAMINATION via Canvas

Sunday October 12 Deadline for submission of Draft Essay for TA Feedback

Module 2: Sport Bodies and Identities

Topic 5 October 13 & 15

Power, Sport, and Masculinities

DUE Sunday, October 19 Module I Essay Due – via Canvas at 11:59 pm

Topic 6 October 20 & 22 Sporting Femininities and Body Hierarchies

Topic 7 October 27 & 29 Sport, Habitus, and Social Class

Topic 8 November 3 & 5 Race, Ethnicity, and Sporting Difference

Monday November 10 Review Session

DUE Wednesday November 12 MODULE II EXAMINATION via Canvas

Sunday November 16 Deadline for submission of Draft Essay for TA Feedback

Module 3: Sport Collectivities and Spaces

Topic 9 November 17 & 19 The Performance of Sport Subcultures

DUE Sunday, November 23 Module II Essay Due — via Canvas at 11:59pm

Topic 10 November 24 & 26 Sport and the Neoliberal City

Topic 11 December 1 & 3 Sporting Communities

Topic 12 December 8 & 10 The Imagined Sporting Nation

Monday December 8/Wednesday December 10

Review Session (During Discussion Sections)

Wednesday December 10 Deadline for submission of Draft Essay for TA Feedback

DUE Sunday December 14 Module III Essay Due — via Canvas at 11:59pm

DUE Thursday, December 18 MODULE III EXAM via Canvas

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Session Outline Note: Numbers in brackets after learning objectives show linkage between material covered in each session and the numbered course and program competencies shown at the beginning of this syllabus. Session 1 September 8/10 Module I Topic A: Sport and the Sociological Imagination The aim of this introductory topic of the course is to introduce students to the need to understand sport as a, contextually specific, social construct. Following the directions of C. Wright Mills (see right), this will involve encouraging the development of a sporting sociological imagination through which it is possible to discern how sport can only be understood, and is indeed only experienced, in relation to the broader forces (cultural, political, and economic) that have come to dominate and define contemporary American existence. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 3, 4 Required Readings: Reading I: Andrews, D. L. (2006). Situating sport. In Sport-Commerce-Culture: Essays on sport in late capitalist America (pp. 1-12). New York: Peter Lang.

Reading II: Beamish, R. & Ritchie, I. (2006). Fastest, Highest, Strongest: A Critique of High Performance Sport. Chapter 1. In Routledge Critical Studies in Sport. Hargreaves, J. & McDonald, I. (Eds.) New York: Taylor and Francis.

Reading III: Lemieux, S. (2013, August 13). What the dumb hysteria over A-ROD and PED’s is really about. Deadspin.com

Reading IV: Gladwell, M (2013, September 9). Man and Superman. The New Yorker.

Assignments – This material will be assessed during the module I exam on October 8, and could provide the focus of the module I essay due on October 19. Session 2 September 15/17 Module I Topic B: Sport and the Neoliberal Political Order This topic furthers the understanding of the practice of sporting mapping; the use of the sociological imagination in making linkages between sport and society. Specifically, it focuses on the relationship between sport and the political dimensions of contemporary existence. Politic hereby being understood as the structures, processes, and practices of governance; and political power being the ability to control, shape, and regulate people's lives. The focus of the discussion is the relationship between sport and the neoliberal political order, which is compared with the sport-politics relation within contrasting national and political settings. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 4 Required Readings: Reading I: Coakley, J. (2011). Ideology just doesn't happen: Sports and neoliberalism. Journal of ALESDE, 1(1), 67-84. Reading II: Friedman, J.M. (2007, September 1). U.S. Funding of Olympic athletes a private and community affair. America.gov.

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Reading III: Zimblast et. al (2009, October 2). Do Olympic Host Cities Ever Win? The New York Times

Reading IV: Plumer, B. (2013, August 27). Economists: It’s a terrible idea for D.C. to host the 2024 Olympics. WashingtonPost. Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module I exam on October 8, and could provide the focus of the module I essay due on October 19. Session 3 September 22/24 Module I Topic C: The Corporeal Economy of Sport This topic utilizes the sporting sociological imagination to develop an understanding of the inter-relationship between sport and the body within late, culturally-oriented capitalism. Focusing on the body as the core instrument and object of commercializing and corporatizing economy, the develops an understanding of the machine-like qualities and expectations of athletes and their bodies. This entails a discussion of the Weberian influenced understanding of the process of McDonaldization, and its influence upon contemporary sport and physical culture. This highlights the perils of posits the sporting McDonaldization, as expressed in the potential dehumanization, disenchanting, and disassembling of athletic and exercising bodies. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 4 Required Readings: Reading I: Waddington, I. (2000). Sport, health and ideology. In Sport, Health and Drugs: A Critical Sociological Perspective. London: E & FN Spon. Reading II: Hargrove, Thomas (2006, January 31). Heavy NFL players twice as likely to die before the age of 50. ESPN.com Reading III: Le Batard (2013, January 13). Jason Taylor’s pain shows NFL’s world of hurt. Miami Herald. Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module I exam on October 8, and could provide the focus of the module I essay due on October 19. Session 4 Sept 29/Oct 1 Module I Topic D: Society of the Sporting Spectacle This topic focuses on the complex interconnections linking sport and the commercial mass media. In this way, while the direct relationship is between sport and culture, this week’s focus also demonstrates clear linkages with political, economic, and technological dimensions of contemporary society. Focuses on Debord’s understanding of the society of the spectacle, and its relevance for understanding late capitalist sport culture, particularly as it relates to the manufacture of mediated sporting mega-events. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 4 Required Readings: Reading I: Andrews, D. L. (2006). That's sportainment. In Sport-Commerce-Culture: Essays on sport in late capitalist America (pp. 62-80). New York: Peter Lang. Reading II: Dickson, G., & Schofield, G. (2005). Globalization and globesity: The impact of the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 1(1-2), 169-179.

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Reading III: O’Sullivan, F. (2012, July 09). Should fast food sponsors be banned from the Olympic Games? The Atlantic.

Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module I exam on October 8, and could provide the focus of the module I essay due on October 19. Session 5 Oct 13 & 15 Module II Topic A: Power, Sport, and Masculinities This topic focuses on the introducing the relationship between physical culture and the socio-culturally constructed, and performative nature, of gender and gender difference. This leads to an examination of the hyper-masculine orientation of contemporary sport culture, with specific attention paid to the various ways that involvement with sport/physical activity contributes to the embodied performance and normalization of traditional understandings of masculinity. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 3, 4, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 3, 4

Required Readings: Reading I: Messner, M. (2002). Playing Center: The Triad of Violence. In Men’s Sports Taking the field: Women, men, and sports (pp. 27-61). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Reading II: Simpson, C. (2013, February 27). How long can the NFL get away with asking players if they’re gay? Theatlanticwire.com

Reading III: Waldron, T. (2013, April 30). Jason Collins, Brittany Griner, and Sexuality and Masculinity in Men’s and Women’s Sport. Thinkprogress.com/sports.

Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module II exam on November 12, and could provide the focus of the module II essay due on November 23. Session 6 October 20/22 Module II Topic B: Sporting Femininities and Body Hierarchies This topic focuses on the relationship between social power relations, the various dimensions of physical culture, and the embodied performance of femininity. This includes a discussion of the social and cultural construction of feminine body performance, both in terms of feminine form (shape) and function (practice). This process is related to sport and exercise cultures as the contexts through which women’s bodies become manifest in particular ways. Highlights examples of embodied femininity which both reproduce, and challenge, traditional codes and conventions of femininity. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 3, 4, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 3, 4

Required Readings: Reading I: Dworkin, S. L. (2001). ""Holding Back": Negotiating a Glass Ceiling on Women's Muscular Strength." Sociological Perspectives 44(3): 333-350. Reading II: Longman, J. (2012, August 4). For Lolo Jones, Everything is Image. New York Times.

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Reading III: Rosenberg, A. (2012, July 18). Is Sarah Robles too big to get an endorsement? Slate.com

Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module II exam on November 12, and could provide the focus of the module II essay due on November 23. Session 7 October 27/29 Module II Topic C: Sport, Habitus, and Social Class This topic focuses on the relationship between social class and physical activity. In specific terms, it examines how social class differences are reproduced and performed through sport and physical activity. This is achieved by developing an understanding of social class and linking it to various health and lifestyle indicators. Bourdieu’s notions of captial and class habitus are then introduced as a means of explaining the differential motivations for, and experiences of, physical activity displayed by working, middle, and upper class groupings. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 3, 4, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 3, 4

Required Readings: Reading I: Silk, M. & Francombe, J. & F. Bachelor (2009). The Biggest Loser: The constitution of Fatness. Interactions: Studies in Communication & Culture;2009, Vol. 1 Issue 3, p369 Reading II: Moore, L.V., Diez Roux, A.V., Evenson, K.R., McGinn, A.P., & Brines, S.J. (2008). Availability of Recreational Resources in Minority and Low Socioeconomic Status Areas. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Vol. 34 Issue 1, p16-22. Reading III: Granderson, LZ. (2012, June 8). Poor and Fat: The Real Class War. CNN.com Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module II exam on November 12, and could provide the focus of the module II essay due on November 23. Session 8 November 3/5 Module II Topic D: Race, Ethnicity, and Sporting Difference This topic focuses on the relationship between ethnicity, sport, and physical activity. This is done initially by highlighting the problematic nature of race as an explanatory category. This leads to a discussion of ethnicity and ethnic difference as the categories constituted oftentimes through histories and experiences of race based discrimination. Illustrates the places of sport and physical activity within European American, African American, Native American, and Hispanic American ethnicities. Highlights the relationship between ethnicity and social class, and the relevance of Bourdieu’s theorising for understanding ethnic experiences of sport and physical activity. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 3, 4, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 3, 4

Required Readings: Reading I: Singer, J. N., & May, R. A. B. (2011). The career trajectory of a Black male high school basketball player: A social reproduction perspective. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 46(3), 299-314.

Reading II: Whitlock, J. (2012, Dec. 21). Hey ESPN, is RGIII ‘black enough?’ Foxsports.com

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Reading III: Page, S. (2008, July 15). Obama to NAACP: Blacks must seize responsibility. USA Today.

Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module II exam on November 12, and could provide the focus of the module II essay due on November 23. Session 9 November 17 & 19 Module III Topic A: The Performance of Sport Subcultures This topic focuses on the structure, role, and experience of sport subcultures. This is done by examining the various dimensions and iterations of subcultures related to various sporting practices. Focusing on participant based sport subcultures, the various issues related to traditional subcultural analysis and theory are discussed, including subcultural group membership and the role of risk/danger within subcultural practices. This leads to an examination of various lifestyle sport subcultures (specifically roller derby, windsurfing, climbing, surfing, cycle messengering, skateboarding, free running, and yoga), each of which displays tensions between subcultural constitution, and commercial colonization. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 3, 4, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 4

Required Readings: Reading I: Breivik, G. (2010). Trends in adventure sports in a post-modern society. Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics, 13(2), 260 - 273.

Reading II: Higgins, M. (2009, January 22). Rough waves, tougher beaches. The New York Times.

Reading III: Trebay, G. (2008, May 15). A line in the sand and in the stores. The New York Times. Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module III exam on December 18, and could provide the focus of the module III essay due on December 14. Session 10 November 24 & 26 Module III Topic B: Physical Culture and the Neoliberal City This topic focuses on the relationship between physical culture and the neoliberal city, focusing specifically on Baltimore. This examination unpacks the structure and influence of sport within entrepreneurial regimes of city governance, that key on the reinvention of the city, at least partially, around corporate sport spectacles, and the concomitant retrenchment in public provision for sport and physical activity. This involves identifying the differential experiences of sport and physical culture within the renaissance, suburban, and underclass spaces and populations that constitute the contemporary post-industrial city. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 3, 4, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 4

Required Readings: Reading I: Farrey, T. (2009). The greatest city in America: Baltimore, Maryland. In Game on: How the pressure to win at all costs endangers youth sports, and what parents can do about it ESPN.

DeMause, N. (2011). Why Do Mayors Love Sports Stadiums? Public subsidies for sports facilities are a great deal for everyone involved—except the public. The Nation, 14-17.

Hruby, P. (2013, May 29). Sports Welfare Dies Hard. Sportsonearth.com

Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module III exam on December 18, and could

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provide the focus of the module III essay due on December 14. Session 11 December 1 & 3 Module III Topic C: Sporting Communities This topic focuses on the relationship between sport and the manifestations and experience of community. The concepts of community and communitas are introduced, and their relationship to representative sport culture is outlined. Introduces the concept of the organic sport community, as constituted through small town, prolonged and extensive face-to-face social interactions, through which individuals derive a sense of collective affinity and belonging. Develops the concept of the extended/metropolitan community, as constituted through largely imagined collective affinities through which individuals garner a symbolic sense of collective and communal belonging. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 3, 4, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 4

Required Readings: Reading I: Foley, D. E. (1990). The great American football ritual: Reproducing race, class, and gender inequality. Sociology of Sport Journal, 7 (2), 111-135.

Reading II: Beissel, A.S., Giardina, M.D., & Newman, J.I. (2013). Men of Steel: Social Class, Masculinity, and Cultural Citizenship in Post-Industrial Pittsburgh. Sport in Society.

Reading III: Wentzel, D. (2013, March 13). Steubenville rape trial divides Ohio town. Yahoo! Sports.

Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module III exam on December 18, and could provide the focus of the module III essay due on December 14. Session 12 December 8 & 10 Module III Topic D: The Imagined Sporting Nation This topic focuses on the relationship between sport, the nation, national identity, and nationalisms with contemporary America. The concept of the nation as an imagined community is developed, and the place of sport within the invention of national identity is highlighted. The context specific nature of the nation, national identity, and nationalisms is discussed, illustrated by the relationship between sport and the American nation in the post-9/11 context. Illustrates the close relationship between sport and the military as expressions of national identity within the contemporary context, and discusses various examples of contemporary sporting nationalisms. KNES 287 Course Learning Objectives for Topic: 3, 4, 5, 6 Kinesiology Learning Objectives for Topic: 1, 2, 4

Required Readings: Reading I: Butterworth, M. (2008). Fox Sports, Super Bowl XLII, and the Affirmation of American Religion. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 32(3), 318-323.

Reading II: Jenkins, T. (2013, January 31). When we cheer for our team, do we have to cheer for America, too? The Washington Post. Reading III: Zirin, D. (2011, June 21). When Muhammed Ali took the real heavy weight. Aljazeera.com Assignments: This material will be assessed during the module III exam on December 18, and could provide the focus of the module III essay due on December 14.

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS Students will be assessed on the following course components:

1. Module I Examination (15% of final grade) 2. Module II Examination (15% of final grade) 3. Module III Examination (15% of final grade) 4. Discussion Participation/Pop Quizzes/Essays (25% of final grade) 5. Module Essays (Two) (30% of final grade)

1. Module 1 Exam (15% of Final Grade) Students   can   begin   the   exam   at   any   time   from   12.00am   on   Wednesday   October   8,   however,   they   MUST  COMPLETE  BOTH  SECTIONS  OF  THE  EXAM  by  11.59pm  on  Wednesday  October   8. This will be preceded on Monday October 6 by an exam review session. The format for the exam will be as follows: Section 1. 40 multiple choice/true false/listing questions (2 points per question) Section  2.  ONE  written  thematic  question  (20  points  per  question) The examination will consist of questions designed to test your knowledge and comprehension of material covered in Module 1 lectures, video clips, and readings.

2. Module 2 Exam (15% of Final Grade) Students   can  begin   the  exam  at  any   time   from  12.00am  on  Wednesday  November  12,  however,   they  MUST  COMPLETE  BOTH  SECTIONS  OF  THE  EXAM  by  11.59pm  on  Wednesday  November  12. This will be preceded on Monday November 10 by an exam review session. The format for the exam will be as follows: Section 1. 40 multiple choice/true false/listing questions (2 points per question) Section  2.  ONE  written  thematic  question  (20  points  per  question) The examination will consist of questions designed to test your knowledge and comprehension of material covered in Module 2 lectures, video clips, and readings. 3. Module 3 Exam (15% of Final Grade) Students   can   begin   the   exam   at   any   time   from   12.00am   on   Thursday   December   18,   however,   they   MUST  COMPLETE   BOTH   SECTIONS   OF   THE   EXAM   by   11.59pm   on   Thursday   December   18. This will be preceded during your discussion section on Monday December 8/Wednesday December 10 by an exam review session.

The format for the exam will be as follows: Section 1. 40 multiple choice/true false/listing questions (2 points per question) Section  2.  ONE  written  thematic  question  (20  points  per  question) The examination will consist of questions designed to test your knowledge and comprehension of material covered in Module 3 lectures, video clips, and readings.

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4. Discussion Participation/Tasks/Pop Quizzes/Essays (15% of Final Grade)

The discussion groups are an integral part of this course, and attendance is compulsory. Your grade will be based on a combination of the following elements: 1. Attendance at discussion groups 2. Performance in responding to prepared questions/assignments 3. The regularity and quality of contributions to group discussions 4. Performance within in-class tests/pop quizzes/essays

The discussion groups, as their name implies, are a forum for you to discuss and extend your understanding of the concepts and issues raised in the previous week's lectures and readings. You will be expected to come to discussion groups fully informed (having attended lectures and read the appropriate readings) and ready to discuss the issues at hand.

Your TAs will email you discussion questions/prompts and/or assignments, focused on material covered in lectures and readings, for which you are expected to prepare responses (either written or oral) that you will discuss in the subsequent discussion sections. In addition, the discussion groups will provide a forum for discussing the focus, theories, and methods necessary for the successful completion your module assignments.

IN ORDER TO RECEIVED FULL CREDIT FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT, YOU MUST ATTACH AN MS WORD COPY OF YOUR DISCUSSION RESPONSE TO THE ASSIGNMENTS PAGE ON CANVAS BY THE END OF THE DISCUSSION by 11:59pm THE DAY OF YOUR DISCUSSION.

IN LECTURE POP QUIZZES/ESSAYS:

During the course there will be a number (between two and six) of unscheduled pop pop essays within the course. A pop essay will comprise of one short answer questions, which you will be given 5 minutes to answer. DISCUSSION SECTIONS/TASKS GRADING You will receive a grade for your discussion sections/tasks on two occasions during the course: 1. Mid-Term Evaluation: This will take place after the discussions sections on Monday October 27, and will be based upon the discussion sections and in lecture quizzes/essays in the first 6 topics of the course. 2. Final Evaluation: This will take place after the discussions sections on Monday December 14, and will be based upon the discussion sections and in lecture quizzes/essays in the second 6 topics of the course.

5. Module Essays (30% of Final Grade)

You must complete 2 module essays within the course (each of which is worth 15% of your final grade).

You must complete a module essay for Module 1 of the course, however, you can then choose whether you wish to complete an essay for Module 2 or Module 3 for a total of TWO module essays.

Each week you will be provided (on the web page for that topic) an ESSAY QUESTION for that week. You can choose which ONE of the four essays to complete for that module.

Each of these essays will represent 15% of your final grade for the course. The titles for these essays can be found on each topic webpage.

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These essays should be a minimum of 1,500 words (6 double-spaced pages, not including references) to answer them comprehensively.

Deadlines for Submitting Module Essays:

Your typed essays should be submitted via CANVAS/ELMS by the beginning of class on the following days:

Module I Essay [COMPULSORY] - Sunday October 19

Module II Essay [either this or Module III Essay] - Sunday November 23

Module III Essay [either this or Module II Essay] - Sunday December 14

Be warned: No essays will be accepted after the due date and time.

Structure of Module Essays:

The essays should include the following elements: a. Title page (title, name, Student ID#, Module Essay#, Module Essay Title) b. Typed and signed honor pledge c. 1,500 word Module Essay d. Reference List

Content of Module Essays:

When answering assignments it is fully expected that you will use--and reference accordingly--pertinent concepts and ideas drawn from lectures, readings, and video clips. In addition, you are expected to utilize information relevant concepts and ideas derived from your own research into the assignment topic.

For each essay, you also need to use (either through paraphrasing or direct quotation) interpretations, insights, or information from a MINIMUM OF THREE appropriate academic sources in addition to those provided on the topic web page. Be sure to review the evaluation criteria for assignments. On that page you will also find which links to the appropriate academic sources you should use when researching and writing your assignment, and the style and format guidelines you need to follow when completing assignments. All this information needs to be read, understood, and closely followed for you to succeed in this course.

Feedback on Module Essays:

In order to produce superior quality work, it is vital that you utilize the assistance and expertise of your TA. Much of the time in discussion sections will be devoted to the focus, structure, and content of the module essays. However, you are also strongly encouraged to submit draft versions of your essays prior to the final submission date. Your TA will then provide you feedback on your draft essay and suggestions how to improve the structure and content of the final version. In order for the TA to provide feedback, you must make an appointment to meet with the TA during their office hours to retrieve your essay. The deadlines for submission of draft essays for feedback from your TAs are as follows: Module I Essay - Sunday October 12 Module II Essay - Sunday November 16

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Module III Essay - Wednesday December 10

COURSE GRADING Grades will be awarded based on the following schema:

Please note: Grades can be accessed via the ELMS/Canvas website Although there are specific grading criteria on the course website for each of the major forms of assessment used in the course, as a general rule, you can expect to gain the following grades based on your particular usage of the relevant sources of information A: To achieve this superior grade in answering questions you must, demonstrate a cogent understanding of, synthesize, and properly articulate, all the relevant material from lectures, readings, video clips, discussions, any additional sources you have unearthed as a result of your individual research. B: Work attaining this grade will incorporate all of the expectations of A grade assignments, apart from the additional sources you have unearthed as a result of your individual research. C: Work attaining this grade will incorporate some but not all the relevant material from lectures, readings, video clips, and discussions, which you will be expected to synthesize, and properly articulate in answering questions. D: Work attaining this grade will be devoid of references/citations to either the relevant material from lectures, readings, video clips, discussion, or any additional sources. In other words, if you wish to write papers based on purely personal observations/interpretations, this is the grade you will receive.

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F: This grade is reserved for work not handed in on time, or at all. EVIDENTLY THE ABILITY TO ARTICULATE, INTEGRATE, AND SYNTHESIZE VARIOUS SOURCES WITHIN YOUR WRITTEN WORK IS THE KEY TO SECURING A SUPERIOR GRADE.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE  Class lectures and other materials are copyrighted by me, the course instructor. This includes all tangible course materials, including but not limited to written or recorded lecture, PowerPoint presentations, handouts, tests, and other assignments. These materials may not be reproduced (e.g. students may not copy and distribute these materials) for anything other than personal use without my explicit written permission.

COURSE POLICIES

Class Participation The University policy on attendance is available on http://www.testudo.umd.edu/soc/atedasse.html and in the Undergraduate Catalog This policy includes information about overall class participation including: religious holidays, inclement weather, excused absences, makeup exam.

Absence Policy It is the policy of the university to excuse the absences of students that result from the following causes: illness of the student, or illness of a dependent as defined by Board of Regents policy on family and medical leave; religious observance (where the nature of the observance prevents the student from being present during the class period); participation in university activities at the request of university authorities; and compelling circumstance beyond the students control. Students claiming excused absence must apply in writing and furnish documentary support for their assertion that absence resulted from one of these causes. In accordance with university policy, if you are absent for a single lecture due to illness or some form of personal or family emergency, this absence will be considered “excused” and the instructor will accept a note from you, attesting to the date of the illness/incident, along with an acknowledgement that the information is true. Whenever feasible, you should try to contact the instructor in advance. Major Scheduled Grading Events and Prolonged Absences. Students who miss a Major Scheduled Grading Event due any University excused absence must provide appropriate documentation. Students who miss Major Scheduled Grading Event due to illness or who have a prolonged absence due to illness (multiple consecutive absences due to the same illness) shall be required to provide his or her instructor with written documentation of the illness from the University Health Center or from his or her own health care provider. The University Health Center or health care provider shall verify dates of treatment and indicate the dates the student was unable to meet academic responsibilities. For complete information on the university’s absence policy see http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/v100g.html and the Undergraduate Catalog at http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1540

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Email – The Official University Correspondence Verify your email address by going to www.my.umd.edu. All enrolled students are provided access to the University’s email system and an email account. All official University email communication will be sent to this email address (or an alternate address if provided by the student). Email has been adopted as the primary means for sending official communications to students, so email must be checked on a regular basis. Academic advisors, faculty, and campus administrative offices use email to communicate important and time-sensitive notices. Students are responsible for keeping their email address up to date or for redirecting or forwarding email to another address. Failure to check email, errors in forwarding email, and returned email (from “full mailbox” or “unknown user” errors for example), will not excuse a student from missing University announcement, messages, deadlines, etc. Email addresses can be quickly and easily updated at www.my.umd.edu or in-person at the Student Service Counter on the first floor of the Mitchell Building. For technical support for University email: www.helpdesk.umd.edu or call 301-405-1400.

Late work and Missed Exams / Assignments

Late work will not be accepted. The only exceptions to this are documented and University approved absences or emergency situations that are discussed with the instructor prior to deadlines.

Religious Observances The University System of Maryland policy provides that students should not be penalized because of observances of their religious beliefs; students shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester or at least one week in advance of any intended absences for religious observance. The policy that includes information about Religious Observance is available on: http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/iii510a.html

Special Accommodations / Disability Support Services If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations for test taking or other needs, you will need documentation from Disability Support Service (301-314-7682). If you are ill or encountering personal difficulties, please let the instructor know as soon as possible. You can also contact Learning Assistance Services (301-314-7693) and/or the Counseling Center (301-314-7651) for assistance. The University services for students with disabilities is available on: http://www.counseling.umd.edu/DSS/avail_services.html

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Academic Integrity The University's code of academic integrity is designed to ensure that the principle of academic honesty is upheld. Any of the following acts, when committed by a student, constitutes academic dishonesty:

• CHEATING: intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in an academic exercise.

• FABRICATION: intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.

• FACILITATING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of this code.

• PLAGIARISM: intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise.

For more information see: http://www.shc.umd.edu/code.html. The Honor Pledge is a statement undergraduate and graduate students should be asked to write by hand and sign on examinations, papers, or other academic assignments. The Pledge reads: I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment/examination.

The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.shc.umd.edu.

Inclement Weather / University Closings In the event that the University is closed for an emergency or extended period of time, the instructor will communicate to students regarding schedule adjustments, including rescheduling of examinations and assignments due to inclement weather and campus emergencies. Official closures and delays are announced on the campus website (http://www.umd.edu) and snow phone line (301-405-SNOW), as well as local radio and TV stations.

Early Warning Grades Early warning grades will be submitted for those undergraduate students who are newly enrolled at Maryland. These grades are an important component of our retention efforts as they provide timely feedback to those students who are unfamiliar with our academic expectations. A letter grade or “satisfactory/unsatisfactory” (S/U) marks may be submitted.

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Course Evaluations The University, the School of Public Health, and the Department of Kinesiology are committed to the use of student course evaluations for improving the student experience, course and curriculum delivery, and faculty instruction. Your evaluations help instructors improve their courses; help deans and department chairs decide on merit pay for faculty, renewal of contracts, and support tenure and promotion decisions; and help current and future students decide on classes. The system (www.CourseEvalUM.umd.edu) will open toward the end of the semester and close prior to final exams; specific dates will be announced during the semester. Your participation in the evaluation of courses through CourseEvalUM is a responsibility you hold as a student member of our academic community. Your feedback is confidential and important to the improvement of teaching and learning at the University as well as to the tenure and promotion process. CourseEvalUM will be available online (www.courseevalum.umd.edu) for you to complete your courses evaluations. By completing all of your evaluations each semester, you will have the privilege of accessing the summary reports for thousands of courses online at Testudo

Available Support Services The primary resource for the course is the course website (www.knes287.info), which provides details of the following: course description; objectives; designations; course modules and weekly focus; forms of assessment; criteria for assessment; and, information on course instructors. Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the structure and contents of the course website as soon as possible.