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Section One: The Fundamentals
A) Keywords
Exercise 1:
Briefly (in 100 words or less) define one of the keywords in the padlet (including one that you. may have added yourself).
| Racial Justice
Racial justice refers to the efforts and processes aimed at eliminating racial inequality and ensuring fairness for individuals of all racial backgrounds. It involves addressing and dismantling systemic barriers, discrimination, and exclusions that marginalized racial groups face in various aspects of life, including education, employment, healthcare, and sports. I think in the context of athletics, racial justice creates for equitable opportunities for athletes of colour and promoting inclusion. The goal of racial justice is to create a society where all individuals can thrive without facing racial prejudice or bias.
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B) Representing Race
Exercise 2: Notebook Prompt
In about 50-70 words, consider Joel Bervell’s question: why do we feel the need to extrapolate the athleticism of one Black athlete to all Black people when we do not do the same for white athletes?
Try to think of examples when this happens, making sure to reflect on your own positionality.
| This question highlights a stereotype rooted in racism, where the athleticism of one black athlete is generalized to all black athletes. This reinforces the idea physical skill is inherent to black people. This is rooted in racism as this does not happen with white people, they are seen as individual exceptions. This can be seen in media portrayals where black athletes are seen as symbolic of black athleticism. For example, the idea that black people are good at basketball and track, while white athletes abilities are not representative by their race. This reveals how societal expectations are shaped by race, reflecting historical and systematic biases.
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C) Gender, Race & Sport
Exercise 3: Notebook Prompt
What are some strategies for resistance that Rajack and Joseph identify in their article as a means of pushing back against and resisting misogynoir?
| Strategies that Rajack and Joseph identify for resistance as means of pushing against misogynoir include creating counter-narratives. Meaning, by producing and sharing alternative stories, black women can push back and challenge harmful portrayals in the media. Also, creating connections within and across communities helps resistance against the oppressive structures. While reclaiming cultural identity and expressions and participating in collective movements and activism, these strategies can promote empowerment in the fight against misogynoir.
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Section Two: Making Connections
A) Athlete Activism
Exercise 3: Padlet Prompt
Do athletes have a responsibility to use their platform for social change? Why or why not? Please remember to record your response in both the padlet below and in your Notebook.
I do not think athletes have responsibility to use their platform specifically for social change. Although they do have significant influence on individuals. I think athletes should be encouraged to to use their platform in ways that align with their passions and strengths, whether that’s promoting positive messages about health, education, or charity. When athletes choose to engage in social issues, their efforts can be powerful, but the pressure to be activists can overshadow their personal goals and well-being. Ultimately, they should have the freedom to decide how to use their influence, as long as it beneficial and positive.
B) Athlete Activism & Feminism
Exercise 4: Complete the activities
Exercise 5: Notebook Prompt
What do the authors of the article call for as a way of challenging how mainstream sports journalism privileges neoliberal feminist concerns? (100 words max.)
| The authors of this article call for a more inclusive approach to sports journalism that challenges the neoliberal feminist concerns. They contend that individualistic, market-driven female narratives are frequently favoured by mainstream media, ignoring the structural and social facets of action. In order to challenge this, they advocate for a more complex and intersectional approach to media narratives, taking into account the ways in which class, gender, race, and other social identities interact to influence athletes’ activism and experiences. The authors urge a change in narratives to focus on more general social justice issues, recognizing gender, racism, and class disparities in athletics and going beyond a focus on individual empowerment to emphasize institutional change and athlete solidarity in the fight for equality.
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C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
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I have mixed views on how sports leagues bear this responsibility. Considering the large number of Black athletes who contribute to these leagues’ success, I think they have a duty and a platform to promote racial justice given their enormous influence. Supporting BLM and similar campaigns can increase awareness and inspire constructive change. However, I’m concerned that the support from some leagues might be more performative than genuine. Their viewpoint may be influenced by corporate interests and the need to retain a wide range of supporters, giving the impression that their dedication to social justice is weak or unauthentic. Therefore, even though I believe that they should support these initiatives, I am cautious of how strong their support will be and whether it will result in significant change.
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Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
