COURSE STRUCTURE
This topic utilizes the sporting sociological imagination to develop an understanding of the inter-relationship between sport and the body within late, culturally-oriented capitalism. Focusing on the body as the core instrument and object of commercializing and corporatizing economy, the develops an understanding of the machine-like qualities and expectations of athletes and their bodies. This entails a discussion of the Weberian influenced understanding of the process of McDonaldization, and its influence upon contemporary sport and physical culture. This highlights the perils of posits the sporting McDonaldization, as expressed in the potential dehumanization, disenchanting, and disassembling of athletic and exercising bodies.
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1. LECTURE
For six slides per page format (for printing) click : HERE
For one slide per page format (for viewing on computer) click: HERE
Click HERE for a brief podcast which finishes off this topic.
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2. REQUIRED READINGS
It is expected that you will complete these readings following Wednesday lectures and in preparation for discussion section tasks/assignments.
In addition, within the Module 1 exam, you should expect to be asked questions on the following readings:
Reading I: Beamish, R., & Ritchie, I. (2006). “Sport,” health, and harm to the athlete;. In Fastest, highest, strongest : a critique of high-performance sport (pp. 122-125, p. 135). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Reading II: Korth, J. (2006, January 29). A huge problem: Strength isn't enough: NFL linemen have to be so big, their health may be at risk, The Tampa Bay Times.
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3. VIDEO CLIPS
Some of these video clips will be viewed during lecture. However, you are expected to view those not shown in lecture in preparation for both the discussion section and exam related to this topic:
Video Clip 1: “Cristiano Ronaldo: Tested to the Limit”. Promotional programming for Castrol Edge, analysing Ronaldo’s “mortal engine”.
Video Clip 2: The services offered by a commercial biomechanical analyst, related to the measuring and improvement of athletic performance.
Video Clip 3: Promotional video for the proposed development of the "New Cole Field House".
Video Clip 4: Manufacturing the Elite Body. Excerpt from The Olympic Body, The Guardian (2012, July 6).
Video Clip 5: The Machine and Dehumanization. Excerpt from Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times” movie (1936).
Video Clip 6: The Finite and Aging Elite Body. Excerpt from The Olympic Body, The Guardian (2012, July 6).
Video Clip 7: Brett Favre Responds to Bountygate (ESPN.com).
Video Clip 8: Football Players at Greater Risk of Alzheimer's (ABC News, 2012, September 5).
Video Clip 9: Promotion for Esquire Network 2014 Series, “Friday Night Tykes”.
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4. KEY CONCEPTS
The following key concepts represent the core knowledge related to this topic, and you should ensure that you develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of them in preparation for both the discussion section and exam related to this topic:
The Capitalist Economy and the American Capitalist Hegemony
From Industrial Capitalism to Cultural (Late) Capitalism
Late Capitalism as a Cultural Economy
From Rigid to Flexible Regimes of Accumulation
The Corporatization and Commercialization of American Society and Sport
Sport and the Accumulation of Capital
Corporate/Elite Sport
Corporeal Economy - The Active Body as Object and Instrument of the Sport Economy
Sporting Taylorism and Performance-Based Sport Science
Cyborg Athletes - The Interplay of Sport, the Body, and Technology
The McDonaldization of Elite Sport and Elite Sporting Bodies
Weber’s Iron Cage and Capitalist Rational Productivity
The Elite Sporting Body as Rational and Efficient Machine
Corporeal Specialized Standardization Between and Within Sports
Corporeal Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability, and Control
The Perils of Sporting McDonaldization
The Dehumanized and Disenchanted Athlete
Corporeal Abuses and Elite Sport
The Contexts of Elite Sport Performance
The Rationalization and Normalization of Corporeal Abuse/Sporting Deviance
Health, Longevity, and Elite Sport Performance
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5. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Following the lecture, and having read the assigned readings and watch relevant video clips, you are encouraged to answer a series of discussion questions related to this topic which can be accessed HERE.
These questions require that you engage and extend the information covered within each theme, in order to generate a better understanding of core concepts, knowledge, and issues.
These questions are intended as preparation for both the discussion section and exam related to this topic.
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6. ESSAY QUESTION #3 (this is an option for the mandatory Module 1 essay)
Choose any aspect of commercial physical culture (your choice can be drawn from sport, health, fitness, exercise, leisure, movement, or dance realms). Critically examine the usefulness of George Ritzer’s theory of McDonaldization for examining the derivation, structure, and effects of your chosen aspect of physical culture.
This essay should be a minimum of 1,500 words to answer it comprehensively.
You may find the following academic sources useful in completing this assignment. You do not have to use these sources, they are simply provided for you as an introduction to the literature, and you should use them where appropriate and/or relevant. Also, be warned, these readings do not count towards the THREE additional academic sources you are expected to use within your essays (however, they may direct you toward additional academic sources you could use):
Barnwell, B. (2012, August 16). Mere mortals: What we learned by comparing the mortality rates of baseball players and their NFL counterparts. Grantland (ESPN.com).
Brewer, B. D. (2002). Commercialization in professional cycling 1950-2001: Institutional transformations and the rationalization of "doping". Sociology of Sport Journal, 19(3), 276-301.
O’Toole, L. L. (2008). "McDonald’s at the Gym? A Tale of Two Curves®." Qualitative Sociology 32(1): 75-91.
Ritzer, G., & Stillman, T. (2001). The postmodern ballpark as a leisure setting: Enchantment and simulated de-McDonaldization. Leisure Sciences, 23(2), 99-113.
Waddington, I. (2000). Sport, health and ideology. In Sport, Health and Drugs: A Critical Sociological Perspective. London: E & FN Spon.
If you choose to complete this essay, and in addition to the sources provided on this page, you need to identify and use (either through paraphrasing or direct quotation) interpretations, insights, or information from a MINIMUM OF THREE appropriate academic sources (in addition to those provided for you on this website).
The deadline for submitting (via the ELMS/Canvas website) your Module 1 Essay is 11.59pm ET on Friday October 23.
Important: The ELMS/Canvas website will not accept essays after the due time and date.
In order to receive feedback from your TA, you can submit a draft version of your essay up to and including 10.00pm ET Friday October 9.
Be sure to review the details on the module essay page. On that page you will find the EVALUATION CRITERIA for module essays (which you are strongly encouraged to read), you will also find links to the appropriate academic sources you should use when researching and writing your module essays, and the style and format guidelines you need to follow when completing module essays. All this information needs to be read, understood, and closely followed for you to succeed in this course.
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