Module SPRT3221: Advanced Sociological Perspectives on Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity

Department: Sport and Exercise Sciences

SPRT3221: Advanced Sociological Perspectives on Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity

Prerequisites

• Students undertaking this module should have studied at least one sociology-focussed module before (whether at year 1 or 2).

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To provide an advanced understanding of key sociological concepts and ideas related to sport, exercise and physical activity;
• To develop in students a critical insight and awareness of the key sociological theories, as they have been applied to an understanding of sport, exercise and physical activity;
• To provide an understanding of the key theoretical perspectives within sociological inquiry and enhance students’ abilities to weigh up the relative strengths of alternative theoretical perspectives;
• To enable students to understand the sociological aspects of social problems in sport, exercise and physical activity;
• To provide a forum in which students can actively deploy theoretical approaches within a framework of critical reasoning to comprehend social problems in sport, exercise and physical activity.

Content

• The module will be divided structurally into two sections.
• The first section (Term 1) will focus on individual theories and schools of thought including, for example, Marxism, Neo-Marxism and Cultural Studies, symbolic interactionism, figurational sociology, feminisms, Bourdieu and Foucault.
• The second section (Term 2) will place emphasis on social problems in sport, exercise and physical activity (e.g., discrimination, violence, risk, corruption, surveillance and trauma) and consider the ways in which different theories may apply to an understanding of them. Students are challenged to engage in comparative critical analyses deploying a range of sociological resources and relating them to real-world states of affair in sport, exercise and physical activity.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module students will have developed:
• an understanding of the similarities and differences among theories; and an ability to use this knowledge to understand contemporary social problems in sport, exercise and physical activity:
• a critical awareness of the part played by theory for the analysis and understanding of the complexity of social processes in sport, exercise and physical activity;
• a critical understanding of the sociological aspects of social problems in sport, exercise and physical activity.

• By the end of this module students will have developed:
• the capacity to evaluate sociological arguments and evidence:
• the ability to use abstract sociological concepts with confidence and to be able to compare and contrast perspectives in relation to their application to social problems in sport, exercise and physical activity;
• an ability to interpret texts and to follow a theoretical argument;
• a critical appreciation of what is distinctive about the sociological approach to understanding sport, exercise and physical activity;
• a critical understanding of social and civic responsibility.

• By the end of this module students will have developed:
• the capacity to think abstractly;
• the ability to engage in reasoned argument both verbally and in writing;
• the ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently in writing;
• the ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome;
• the capacity to work effectively independently and with others;
• the capacity to demonstrate effective communication and presentation skills;
• the ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement;
• the ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and reflect critically on justifications for decisions.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The lectures will introduce students to sociological concepts and theories related to sport, exercise and physical activity and an appreciation of their relative strengths;
• The lectures will provide opportunities for students to consider alternative sociological perspectives on a range of social problems related to sport, exercise and physical activity;
• The workshops in term 2 will enable students to develop a competence in using a range of theoretical positions in the sociology of sport; and allow students to conduct an in-depth investigation of a specific social problem in sport, exercise and physical activity;
• Students will construct and facilitate a seminar (as part of term 2 workshops) that is designed to ensure fellow students are able to engage with their chosen social problems in sport, exercise and physical activity and debate/examine the topic in question;
• The summative work (both individual and group-based) will test students' ability to research a specific sociological theory and consider its applicability to social problem in sport, exercise and physical activity;
• A formative piece of work will allow students to develop an essay plan related to a sociological theory in sport, exercise and physical activity;
• Seminars in term 1 will support and consolidate learning in relation to concepts and theories used to examine sociological theories related to sport, exercise and physical activity.
• The seminars in term 1 will also enable students to develop ideas related to all summative work.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

500 word essay plan for summative assignment.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University