Wgs 399:Women Sport and Culture

SPRING 2003

WGS 399:WOMEN SPORT AND CULTURE

COURSE SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR:Delia Douglas

OFFICE HOURS:Tuesday 10:15 -12 and by appointment

CLASS TIMES:Thursday 3:00-5:50

LOCATION:112 Esslinger Hall

“Sport is a women’s issue because on playing fields, male athletes learn to talk about and think about women and women’s bodies with contempt….It’s a women’s issue because the media itself cheers for men’s sports and rarely covers women’s, thereby reinforcing the notion that men are naturally more athletic….And it’s a women’s issue because female sport participation empowers women, thereby inexorably changing everything.”

(excerpt fromThe Stronger Women Get, The More Men Love Football, M.B. Nelson, 1994, pp. 9).

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Much of mainstream feminist theory has not explored sport as an area of study.Drawing upon analyses from cultural studies, sociology and sport studies, this course critically examines women’s involvement in sport.The course begins from the assumption that sport is a key element of culture which plays a significant part in the construction and representation of our identities.We will look at both popular and theoretical sources in our analysis of the historical and social context in which women participate and make sense of their sporting experiences.Some of the themes that we will explore include sport and the media, homophobia, racism, sexual harassment, the politics of sporting celebrity.The course format includes lectures, discussion, media viewing (e.g., sport films “Personal Best” and “Bend It Like Beckham”) and student presentations.One of the goals of this course is to enhance students’ awareness of the complex relationship between women, sport and society so that they can become more critical sport consumers and participants.

NOTE:Students with documented disabilities who may require accommodations please see me as soon as possible to make the appropriate arrangements.

COURSE MATERIALS

REQUIRED TEXT:

Heywood, Leslie.1998.Pretty Good For a Girl:An Athlete’s Story. Minneapolis, MN:University of Minnesota Press.Available at Mother Kali’s Books 720 East 13thAvenue Eugene OR 97401.PHONE:541.343.4864

COURSE READER:

A course reader containing the course readings is available at The Copy Shop which is located off campus at 539 E. 13th Ave., Eugene, OR, 97401.PHONE: 541.485.6253

COURSE TOPICS AND SCHEDULE

PART I: STUDYING WOMEN IN SPORT:CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES AND KEY CONCEPTS

Week OneAPRIL 3:INTRODUCTION:Taking sport seriously.

Week TwoAPRIL 10:WOMEN, SPORT AND IDEOLOGY

FILM:Personal Best

Messner, M.A.(1988).Sport and male domination:The female athlete as contested ideological terrain.Sociology of Sport Journal, 5(3), 197-211.

Willis, P. (1982).Women in Sport in Ideology.In J. Hargreaves (Ed.), Sport, culture and ideology (pp. 117-135).London:Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.

Week ThreeAPRIL 17:CHALLENGING DISCOURSES:ANALYSES OF WOMEN IN SPORT

DePauw, K.P.(1997).The (in)visibility of disability:cultural contexts and ‘sporting’ bodies.’Quest, 49, 416-430.

Smith, Y.R.(1992).Women of color in society and sport.Quest, 44, 228-250.

Supplementary Readings

Scraton, S.(2001)Reconceptualizing race, gender and sport:The contribution of black feminism.In B. Carrington and I. McDonald (Eds.), ‘Race’, sport and British society (pp. 170-187).New York:Routledge.

PART II:CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

During this portion of the quarter we will analyze the debates, dilemmas and issues that affect women’s participation and experiences in sport.In addition to exploring issues pertaining to identity, sport and popular culture, we will also consider the nature and impact of media images of women in sport.

Week Four:APRIL 24 MEDIASPORT

Messner, M.A.(2002).Center of attention:The gender of sports media. Chapter 4 in Taking the Field:Women, men and sports (pp. 91-133).Minneapolis, MN:University of Minnesota Press.

Messner, M.A., Duncan, M.C., & Jensen, K.(1993).Separating the men from the girls:The gendered language of televised sports.Gender & Society, 7(1), 121-137.

Deford, F.(2000).Advantage Kournikova.Sports Illustrated, June 5,volume 92, issue 23, p. 94-95, 97-100, 104,106,108,110.

II A.SPORTING DIVERSITY:THE POLITICS OF DIFFERENCE AND IDENTITY

Week FiveMAY 1: SPORT AND SEXUALITY

Krane, V.(2001).We can be athletic and feminine, but do we want to?Challenging hegemonic femininity in women’s sport.Quest, 53, 115-133.

Griffin, P.(1992).Changing the game:homophobia, sexism, and lesbians in sport.Quest, 44, 251-265.

Supplementary Readings

Kolnes, L.J.(1995).Heterosexuality as an organizing principle in women’s sport.International Review for the Sociology of Sport 30(1), 61-77.

Fusco, C.(1998). Lesbians and locker rooms:The subjective experiences of lesbians in sport.In G. Rail (Ed.), Sport and postmodern times, (pp.87-115).Albany:State University of New York Press.

Week 6MAY 8:INTERSECTIONS:RACE, CLASS AND GENDER

FILM:Bend it Like Beckham

Jamieson, K.(1995).Latinas in sport and physical activity.Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, September, 42-47.

Week 7MAY 15:

Vertinsky, P. &Captain, G.(1998).More myth than history:American culture and representations of the black female’s athletic ability.Journal of Sport History, 25(3), 532-561.

Feder, A.M.(1995).‘A radiant smile from a lovely lady.’Overdetermined femininity in ‘ladies’ figure skating.In C. Baughman (Ed.),Women on ice:Feminist essays on the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan spectacle (pp. 22-46).New York:Routledge.

Week 8MAY 22: SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ABUSE

Heywood, L.(1998).Pretty good for a girl:An athlete’s story.Minneapolis, MN:University of Minnesota Press.

Wahl, G., Wertheim, L.J. Dohrmann, G, & Schecter, B.J.(2001).Special Report:Passion plays.Sports Illustrated, Vol 95, no 10, 58-70.

Supplementary Readings:

Volkwein, K.A.E., Schnell, F.I., Sherwood, D., & Livezey.(1997).Sexual harassment in sport:Perceptions and experiences of American female student-athletes.International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 32(3), 283-295.

Week 9MAY 29:SPORTING CELEBRTIES

Spencer, N.E.From ‘child’s play’ to ‘party crasher’:Venus Williams, racism and professional women’s tennis.In D.L. Andrews & S.J. Jackson (Eds.), Sport Stars:The cultural politics of sporting celebrity (pp. 87-101).New York:Routledge.

Jamieson, K.M. (1998).Reading Nancy Lopez:Decoding representations of race, class, and sexuality.Sociology of Sport Journal, 15, 343-358.

Supplementary Readings

Banet-Weiser-S.(1999).Hoop dreams:Professional basketball and the politics of race and gender.Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 23(4), 403-420.

PART III:FUTURES

Week 10JUNE 5:RESISTANCE AND TRANSFORMATION IN SPORT

McDonald, M.G. (2000).The marketing of the women’s national basketball association and the making of postfeminism.International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 35(1), 35-47.

Blinde, E.M., Taub, E., & Han, L.(1994).Sport as a site for women’s group and societal empowerment:Perspectives from the college athlete.Sociology of Sport Journal, 11, 51-59.

Supplementary Readings

Young, K. (1995).Women, sport and physicality:Preliminary findings from a Canadian study.International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 332(3), 297-385.