Midterm Prep # 1 Flashcards
Definition of culture?
Complex ways of life that people create and struggle over as they participate in a group or society
Definition of society?
A collection of people living in a defined geographical territory and united by a political system and shared sense of self-identification that distinguishes them from other collections of people
What is a movement culture/physical culture?
How the physical body is embedded in and shaped by the activities, norms, customs, materials, shared meanings, and power-relations that are a part of day to day life in groups and societies
What is an active body?
An instrument of physical culture or an object of physical culture
What is the difference between an instrument and an object of physical culture?
instrument: body as a medium for competition
object: professional athlete as a performer
What do sociologists look at instead of focusing on a strict definition of sport?
The shifting definitions of sport over time; what the debates about defining sport tell us about society and culture
What are the 3 main areas sociologists study?
- The people involved in sports
- The social institutions that shape sport experiences
- The social processes occurring within the sphere of sport
Why would we study sports and physical culture in society?
Special meaning in peoples lives; sports being tied to many important ideas and cultures; sports are connected to major spheres of social life
What ideas are sports tied to?
Gender ideology, racial ideology and class ideology
What is the sociological imagination?
The individual and society are interrelated, something that might seem like an individual problem is impacted by broader social forces
What does the sociological imagination have to do with movement cultures?
The active body cannot be separated from society
What is the critical approach?
It takes nothing for granted in studying social processes and often emphasizes power relations
The is the theoretical approach?
Theories help us understand, interpret, and explain the social phenomena we observe
What does it mean when something is a social construction or is socially constructed?
Parts of social reality that are given meaning based on negotiations and interactions among society’s members
How are sports social constructions?
The definition of sport is is not fixed and is socio-culturally defined
What are the 3 theses?
- The “what relationship” thesis
- The reflection thesis
- The dialectical thesis
What is the “what relationship” thesis?
Perspective that sport is separate from the rest of society and unimpacted by power relations or politics
What is the reflection thesis?
Physical culture is a mirror of society, or is a product of society
What is the dialectical thesis?
Society and sports influence one another, its a two way street; aligns best with the sociological imagination and the critical and theoretical approach
What is socialization?
a process through which we learn what we must know to fit into society and contribute to its operation
What is a functionalist approach to socialization?
Emphasis on the role that social institutions play in contributing to stability and maintaining the status quo
How do sports fit into the functionalist approach?
They serve as a way to:
- prepare children for adult involvement
- influence character development and reform “at-risk” youth
- almost always seen as a positive force
What is internalization?
We learn from peers, parents, teachers, the media how one is supposed to behave and the roles we play in society
What are agents of socialization called?
Socializers
What are some functionalist research questions?
Who influences the sports participation of children? Who drops out of sports and why?
What is the critical-interactionist approach?
We are not automatically shaped by those around us, we question, we interpret what we see and hear, etc
What are sports seen as in the critical-interactionist approach?
Sports are seen as sites for socialization experiences, not direct causes of behaviour
What are key parts of the critical interactionist approach?
Social values and culture are NOT internalized, socialization involves participatory learning, not always sites of positive experiences
What are some critical-interactionist research questions?
How do people make decisions about participating in sport? How do they give meaning to their sports participation?
Critical-interactionist theories focus on…
- Studies the sport experiences from the perspective of the individual
- Studies of social worlds that emerge and are maintained in connection with certain sports
What is a subculture?
A grouping of people who share a particular interest (i.e. sports)
What is key to being part of a subculture?
Being able to “walk the walk and talk the talk”
What is an alternative sport?
A relatively unstructured activity that tends to be more democratic than formally organized sports, leads to more welcoming spaces
Explain why skateboarding is is an example of an alternative sport?
Elite competition is deemphasized, participant control is huge and it is seen as a “site of cultural resistance”
What is prolympism?
What sociologist call the dominant conceptual, ideological and organizational structure of the youth sports system in Canada - emphasizes winning and the progression to professional sports
What are the consequences of prolympism on youth?
It produces elite athletes, but most do not make it to the varsity level, nor to major sporting events
What are the consequences of prolympism on community sports?
Funneling money towards elite programs means less money fro society-wide participation
What is single sport specialization?
An athlete trains intensely in one specific sport for nine or more months of the year
What are sociologists’ reasons for specialization?
- Growing privatization and commercialization of youth sports
- Changes in parenting styles and priorities
What are the consequences of single sport specialization for youth?
Although there are competitive advantages and specialized training opportunities, there are links to higher injury rates and burnout
What are the consequences of single sport specialization for community sports?
Elite programs can drain resources from grassroot programs, southern alberta girls hockey example
What is the Greater Toronto Hockey League?
Hockey league in toronto with the aim of creating professional hockey players, observers have argued that it epitomizes the commercialization of community hockey
When are child athletes considered child labourers?
When their sport participation involves economic exploitation and performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s education or to be harmful to the child’s development
What is considered maltreatment in sports?
Using a power differential to commit abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional) and in other cases neglect
What are some similarities between elite sport and child labour?
- Working long hours
- Working under excessive physical, psychological and social stress
- Working for little pay - Tennis player Jelena Dokic
- Being subject to intimidation
What were the big influences of industrialization?
Increase in income and an increase in population (overall high levels of growth)
What was a pivotal period for organized sports in Canada?
1880-1920
Why did cricket not catch on in Canada?
Usually played during the day and the working class was working; they never accepted the game and made it their own; the british elite never made it appealing to Canadians
What did George W. Beers do?
Created a national mythology (fake news about the popularity of lacrosse) to give Canada its own unique identity, advocating for lacrosse to become the national sport
How did urbanization influence Canada?
Population swelled, farmers and immigrants moved into cities, relationship with the land changed
How was nature viewed during urbanization?
Viewed as a cure-all by the upper and middle classes; Upper class worried about the lower classes morality without outdoor activities; the upper class complained about the lack of outdoor spaces
What did the summer camp movement convey?
It conveyed the rehabilitating effects of nature, was thought to teach boys morals, to harden them, prepare them for college, woodcraft training and outdoor skills, discipline, etc.
What happened in 1848 in the UK?
Public Health Act: linking of parks and health of the population!
What was formed in 1833?
The Select Committee on Public Walks, a committee to ensure that there were proper places for the appropriate activites
What was a key event in the 19th century?
The setting aside of land for public parks
Who formed park boards and committees and what did they do?
Mostly made up of elite citizens, focused on financial costs associated with the facilities and putting forth legislation in line with social reform and improvement movements
What are the main questions committees deal with?
- The amount of money it will cost to purchase land
- What forms of recreation were suitable on public lands
What was the Victoria Park, London, ON example?
Originally was land for sports, then the elite of society wanted it to be manicured and limit the working class in the park. The upper class won and shaped the purpose of the park (people in positions of power have societal influence)
Why was there a need for designated play spaces?
Play spaces were uncommon, played in alleyways and streets that were often perceived as hazardous
What were some important structured activities for children?
“Good citizens club”, drills, folk dancing, a salute to the flag and gymnastics
