RELG 344 - Religion and Sports in the U.S.

Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL200, COLL 350
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV

Religions and sports are both indications of cultural values. When we look at the place of religions, sports, and their intersections in our lives and history, we can learn about the priorities of our culture. Some of those priorities might make us proud; others might make us uncomfortable. This course treats religions and sports as intertwined cultural phenomena that deserve our attention because, through this, we can learn much about our cultural context, social systems, and underlying values. We will start with the question of whether sport is in itself a religion, and then we will then turn to religious traditions and social issues. We will examine religion’s role in patterns of belonging and marginalization by exploring race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status. Throughout, we will look at the historical and cultural factors that bring religion and sport together. In order to deepen your understanding of justice, equity, and the value-laden processes of social inclusion and exclusion through institutional, cultural, and normative practices that are both historical and ongoing, we will explore historical, anthropological, and ethical approaches to multiple intersections of religion and sport in the U.S. At the end of this course, you will be able to describe religions and sports as disciplinary systems and show how these systems create and sustain cultural values.