HC221H - Philosophy of Sport

Professor: Peg Weiser

4.00 credits

  • CRN 22377: Monday & Wednesday, 12:00-1:20pm @ CHA 201
  • CRN 22381: Monday & Wednesday, 2:00-3:20pm @ ESL 199

We will study sport—professional, intercollegiate, and amateur/post-amateur—throughout history as well as current, controversial topics such as the nature of games, the ethics of athletic competition (health issues during a pandemic; banning of Russian athletes while Ukraine is under attack; UO Sport and Wellness Initiative), athletes’ well-being (mental health issues, PEDs, changing transgender and intersex rules), fan behavior/sportsmanship, beauty (the aesthetics of athletic bodies), issues of social justice and political activism including fairness, gender equity (Title IX “celebrates” 50 years after becoming law in 1972), racial discrimination, the commercialization and marketing of sports, NILS, and the role of highly visible sport administrations, particularly the NCAA, IOC, IAAF, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NWSL, etc. All films and assigned readings are posted (no textbook to purchase) with links from the syllabus.