Objectives, Strategies, and Ethics in Teaching Introductory Courses in Sociology of Sport

Abstract

This paper persents strategies that have been useful in helping undergraduates develop a critical view of sport. This is usually a difficult task in teaching introductory students with backgrounds in physical education, kinesiology, and human movement studies because they tend to have a positive, uncritical perspective of sport. Such students often react in an incredulous or hostile fashion when sociologists present evidence that questions or contradicts typical assumptions about sport. It is argued that the fundamental objective in teaching sociology of sport and sociology through sport is to help students develop what Bierstedt terms the “liberated mind,” Some teching strategies are then presented to help students grasp the rudimentary princiles of thinking crutically about sport. Finally, some ethical problems that arise from teaching sociology of sport in this way are discussed.