Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Course Format: Face-to-Face
This course is taught face-to-face. You will attend class in the physical classroom during the regularly scheduled day/time. You will be expected to attend class, participate in in-class activities, and independently complete homework outside of class by assigned due dates.
Contact Information
Woods, R.B., & Butler, B.N. (2021). Social Issues in Sport (4th edition). ISBN: 9781492593850
Additional Readings
Additional readings, articles, videos, case studies, and other course materials will be assigned throughout the semester and posted on Blackboard. These materials will provide students with current and historical examples of social, cultural, and global issues in sport.
Course Description
This “Big Ideas” course will be writing intensive. This is a traditional 4-credit hour course offered each semester and taken by students of junior or senior standing (transfers will be required to take it during their first year at Wilmington College). This course can take the form of a “great book/s” model or focus on any global or universal questions faced by and unifying the human condition. With reference to Wilmington College’s mission, vision, core values, and queries, students will continue to increase their understanding of the perspectives of other cultures, global issues, and the interconnectedness of the world through in-depth exploration of global topics. Students will also reflect on their future roles as engaged members of a global community. Topics will vary.
Course Purpose
GL320: Global Sport in Society uses sport as a lens for examining significant social, cultural, and global issues and the larger questions that connect individuals and societies throughout the world. Through the study of sport and society, students will explore how sport both reflects and influences society, including issues related to culture, race, gender, social class, politics, economics, media, globalization, violence, identity, technology, and social change.
Students will examine sport from different cultural and global perspectives while considering how sport connects individuals, communities, organizations, cultures, and nations. Through readings, research, current global sport issues, discussion, and reflection, students will evaluate multiple perspectives and consider how sport can provide a greater understanding of broader issues facing society.
Consistent with Wilmington College's mission, vision, core values, and queries, students will also reflect on their responsibilities and future roles as engaged members of an increasingly interconnected global community.
Course Learning Outcomes
At the end of the class, the student should be able to:
- Analyze how culture, race, gender, social class, identity, and other social factors influence participation, opportunity, and experiences in sport.
- Explain how sport influences society and how social, cultural, political, economic, technological, and media influence in sport.
- Examine the Olympic Games and other international sporting events from historical, social, cultural, economic, and political perspectives.
- Analyze how international and global sport reflects broader issues, including politics, nationalism, inequality, identity, globalization, and social change.
- Compare sport experiences, traditions, issues, and perspectives across different cultures and global settings.
- Evaluate multiple perspectives on significant social and global issues in sport using credible research, evidence, and critical thinking.
- Explain how sport demonstrates the interconnectedness of individuals, cultures, communities, organizations, and nations.
- Reflect on one's responsibilities and future role as an engaged member of a culturally interconnected global community.
The tentative schedule for the course is posted and regularly updated on Blackboard. The schedule is subject to change at the professor’s discretion to best serve the student’s academic learning. It is the student’s responsibility to verify any possible updates in the course schedule prior to class.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
| Week | Topic | Readings/Materials | Assignments/Activity |
| 1 | Sport as a Mirror of Society | Ch. 1 | Sport Is More Than a Game |
| 2 | How Do We Know What We Know About Sport? | Ch. 1 | Research Topic Exploration |
| 3 | Looking at Sport Through Different Lenses | Ch. 1–2 selections | Theory Activity / Final Research Topic |
| 4 | Sport, Business, Media & Society | Ch. 3 | Media Analysis / Research Question |
| 5 | Youth Sport & Social Change | Ch. 4 | Youth Sport Reflection |
| 6 | The Business of Youth Sport | Ch. 4 | Youth Sport Town Hall / Sources |
| 7 | Race, Gender & Social Class | Ch. 9–11 selections | Research Proposal |
| 8 | Globalization & the Olympic Games | Ch. 7 | Olympic Culture Project / Cultural Paper |
| 9 | Berlin 1936: Sport, Politics & Propaganda | Ch. 7 & 14 selections | Olympic Boycott Simulation / Bibliography |
| 10 | Jesse Owens & Social Change | Ch. 9 & 14 selections | Race / Film Reflection |
| 11 | Global Sport, Culture & Migration | Ch. 7 | Global Sport Map / Research Outline |
| 12 | Culture, Identity & Participation | Ch. 10–13 selections | Culture & Sport Case Study |
| 13 | Deviance, Doping & Violence | Ch. 15 | Violence Activity / First 3 Research Pages |
| 14 | Government, Politics & Global Sport | Ch. 14 | Sports Diplomacy / Peer Review |
| 15 | Technology, Esports & the Future of Sport | Ch. 16 | Sport in 2046 Challenge |
| 16 | Sport & Our Role in a Global Community | Course Synthesis | Research Paper + Global Reflection |
Blackboard Site
All non-textbook readings, assignment guidelines, student grades, PowerPoints, and the course schedule are posted to the course Blackboard site. Students must log onto the site on a regular basis to ensure they are prepared for class and are completing the required assignments.
Course Requirements
Writing is a critical component of a Wilmington College degree. As a Wilmington Global Signature course, GL320 asks students to apply personal reflection, critical thinking, research, and writing skills to significant social and global questions.
Students will demonstrate these skills through class discussions, weekly exercises, readings, films, current-event activities, and three formal writing assignments totaling a minimum of 15 pages.
Cultural Sport Paper – 3–4 Pages
Students will select a sport, sporting tradition, event, or related topic and examine its historical, cultural, social, and economic significance. Students should consider how the topic reflects the culture or society in which it developed, how it may have changed over time, and what it can teach us about the people or culture connected to it.
Global Sport & Society Research Paper – 8–10 Pages
Students will complete an in-depth research paper examining a significant social or global issue connected to sport. Possible topics may include race, gender, social class, politics, nationalism, media, human rights, youth sport, violence, globalization, athlete migration, international sporting events, esports, technology, or another approved topic.
The project should move beyond simply describing a sport issue. Students will analyze the broader social and global significance of the issue, evaluate multiple perspectives, and make a meaningful global or cross-cultural connection. This should include perspectives, research, examples, or comparisons involving at least one country or culture outside the United States.
Students will use appropriate primary and secondary sources and participate in the research and writing process through topic development, source evaluation, research assistance, draft development, feedback, peer review, and revision.
Personal Global Reflection Paper – 3–4 Pages
Students will reflect on their experiences and learning throughout the course and consider how their perspectives may have developed or changed.
The reflection will specifically address how the course increased the student's understanding of other cultures, global issues, multiple perspectives, and the interconnectedness of the world. Students will also reflect on their values, responsibilities, and future role as an engaged member of a culturally interconnected global community.
Weekly Exercises, Discussions, and Film/Current Event Activities
Throughout the semester, students will complete short assignments related to course readings, current events, articles, documentaries, films, case studies, and class discussions. These activities are designed to help students connect course concepts and larger questions to contemporary and historical issues in sport, society, and the global community.
A regular feature of the course will be This Week in Global Sport & Society, which will use current sport issues to examine larger social, cultural, political, economic, ethical, technological, and global questions. Students will be expected to consider why these issues matter beyond sport and how they connect to the themes of GL320.
Students are expected to participate actively and respectfully in discussions involving different cultures, experiences, perspectives, and social issues.
Assignment Descriptions
Class Preparedness: You are expected to come prepared for class so that you may participate in a knowledgeable fashion. This includes: 1) being in attendance PRIOR to the start of class, 2) paying attention in class and taking notes, 3) abstaining from the use any electronic devices during the class period (cellphones, mp3 players, headphones, smartwatches, etc.), and 4) remaining seated for the duration of the class period until you are dismissed by the professor.
It is important that you engage in class discussion in an appropriate manner in order to receive an “A” for participation. Merely coming to class and warming a seat may earn you a “C” but if you wish to earn a grade above average, you will need to become an active and respectful participant in class discussions. This also includes coming to class with questions for guest speakers.
Reading Assignments: Reading assignments will consist of chapter-based assignments administered by the professor for student completion. These assignments encourage the students to complete the required readings and assist them in achieving the desired learning objectives.
Written Assignments: Written assignments must be typed (12 points, times new roman font, with one-inch margins). Papers must be submitted on the day they are due in class via Blackboard PRIOR to the start of class time. Written assignments will be graded on both the quality of writing and the subject matter. Errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation will result in a lower grade.
Evaluation Points
Class Preparedness and Participation: 100 pts. total
Weekly Exercises, Discussions, and Activities: 150 pts. total
Cultural Sport Paper: 100 pts. total
Personal Global Reflection Paper: 100 pts. total
Global Sport & Society Research Paper: 200 pts. total
Total Points 650 pts.
Instructor Course Policies
Attendance Policy
The College accepts these four categories of excused absences:
- Activities in which the student serves as an official representative of the College (e.g., musical performances, athletic contests, field trips).
- Personal illness, with documentation by the College nurse or a physician, if possible. In relation to students experiencing COVID19 related symptoms or illness, students should be provided an excused absence and should not be penalized for electing not to attend physical classes in these instances.
- Family or personal emergencies.
- When severe weather makes travel to campus dangerous.
Wilmington College recognizes that reasonable attendance requirements will vary somewhat between disciplines, professors and even individual courses. The purpose of this policy is to ensure all concerned are clear about expectations in each course. Faculty members are expected to accept the College's basic definition of excused absences in their individual policies and monitor attendance, but faculty members may also choose to accept other absences as excused (entirely at the discretion of each faculty member). Students are expected to be responsible for informing faculty members about excused absences (including documentation, if required) and for arranging to make up all work missed because of absences. An excused absence in no way removes this responsibility or obligates the professor to provide a student with special assignments or opportunities.
Effective communication between students and faculty members is essential in cases of excused absences. Students are responsible for initiating this communication and in as timely a manner as possible. Students who will have to miss class to represent the College should provide schedules of these absences to the faculty member as soon as they are known. In all cases, it is the student’s responsibility to discuss excused absences with affected faculty members and to provide documentation of the excused nature of the absence, if the faculty member requires it.
Students should notify the Office for Academic Affairs (ext. 240) if they are unable to attend classes for one week or more (e.g., due to surgery, extended illness, etc.). Extended absences (up to two weeks without notification to the Office of Academic Affairs) can result in immediate administrative withdrawal from the College. In addition, during any term, a pattern of non-engagement or four or more academic alert notices in multiple classes can also result in immediate administrative withdrawal or suspension. Non-engagement is defined as missing classes, refusal to adhere to college policies, non-attendance, non-responsiveness to attempts to communicate, or a combination of these factors.
Students in this course will be rewarded for missing no more than 2 unexcused absences. Students will be penalized for any unexcused absences after their third occurrence.
Late Assignments Policy
Late assignments will NOT be accepted and will be given a 0. Students are responsible for completing all course requirements and for keeping up with all activities of the course whether they are present in class or not. Students are responsible for keeping a copy of their work, on their computer or hard copy, until they have received a grade for all written assignments.
Classroom Behavior
Students and faculty share responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment in the classroom. Civility and respect create a safe and productive atmosphere in which students can achieve.
The definition of disruptive behavior is at the reasonable discretion of the faculty member teaching the class, and determination of whether a specific behavior is disruptive resides within the authority of the faculty member. Examples of disruptive behavior include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Showing disrespect for and displaying poor manners toward any faculty member or other students.
- Disruptive or inappropriate use of technology and electronic devices in the classroom, such as cell phones, headphones, and computers.
- Persistent speaking without being recognized or interrupting other speakers.
- Persistently entering class late or leaving early without an excuse or the faculty member’s permission.
- Threats, harassment, or personal insults of any kind directed toward any faculty member and other students.
A faculty member has the discretion to impose sanctions for disruptive behavior in their classrooms. Some of the sanctions may include: a formal apology, dismissal from the class in which the disruptive behavior occurs, and/or referral to Student Affairs for resolution of the situation.
Dismissal from class due to poor student behavior will result in an unexcused absence.
Accessibility And Disability Services
ADA statement that reads, Americans with Disabilities Act: If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, contact Spencer Izor, the Associate VP for Compliance: spencer.izor@wilmington.edu, 937-481-2365, or visit her office in College Hall, Room 306.
Academic Integrity Policy
Students with academic integrity violations may not be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges. See the separate policy dealing with plagiarism below.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is defined as the representation of another’s words, ideas, concepts, research or creative production without proper attribution whether intentional or unintentional. It is the student’s responsibility to be informed about what constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism can occur in the submission of one’s own work or in work submitted by a group.
Examples of plagiarism include the following:
- The submission of a paper is not one’s own, including turning in a paper that has been purchased from a commercial research firm or obtained from the internet
- Copying word for word information without quotation marks
- Paraphrasing information (that is, the use of one’s own words with only minor changes to the original)
- Use of information not considered general knowledge without proper citation
- Listing of misleading or false sources on a reference page
- The use of a paper or project for one course that was previously submitted for another course, either at Wilmington or at any other institution
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and carries serious academic consequences. Violations will be recorded by the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus and Vice President of External Programs at the Cincinnati Branch Campus.
When an instructor discovers plagiarism, the instructor will first consult with the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs if a main campus student, or the Vice President for External Programs if a branch campus student, in order to determine if the student is a first-time offender. For first offenses, the instructor has the ability to determine the penalty for the offense. Students with academic integrity violations may not be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). For a second offense or more, the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus or the Vice President for External Programs for students at the branch campus, will report the offense to the academic standards and appeal committee and gather evidence for a hearing with the student. It is possible that the student will receive a substantial reduction in grades for the course or will fail the course. Multiple instances could even lead to suspension or expulsion from Wilmington College.
There are many universities, colleges and private websites students may consult about how to avoid plagiarism. Sites with particularly helpful suggestions can be found at:
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
- http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
- http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize
- http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/integrity/08/intro/index.htm
- http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_preventing_plagiarism_when_writing.html
- http://citationmachine.net/index2.php
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: FA26 Final Exam Schedule
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery Definition of Courses |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. Academic Integrity Policy |
Class Attendance Policy Institutional Class Attendance Policy |