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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 is the act of creating systems and tactics to create equal opportunities and prevent systemic oppression. Racial justice works to eliminate the core causes of racism and where it intersects with patriarchy and colonialism.
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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.
| Listening to the lecture made me think further about how, in media, we hear so much about the hard work and determination of white athletes to achieve their successes, and when a black athlete has similar successes, questions turn to a biological difference or heritage that is entirely unrelated to the incredible work it takes to be an elite athlete. Micheal Jordon is a great example of this; he worked incredibly hard for his fame and to become an athletic champion, yet questions arose about whether he had a biological difference. They argue that his hand size, or height, largely solely created his successes, which is untrue.
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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?
| Razack and Joseph identify several strategies for resisting misogynoir in their article, particularly through self-representation. Naomi Osaka resists simplistic racial binaries by actively embracing her full identity, particularly when she is white washed (like in Japanease commercials.) . While mainstream media often erases her Blackness in favor of a singular Japanese identity, she asserts her Haitian heritage and claims her full humanity. Osaka also tries to make light of these situations, which is a form of resistance. For instance, when a Japanese comedy duo made racist remarks about her skin color, she responded with humor while simultaneously calling attention to the issue, showcasing an alternative form of pushing back against racism. Additionally, newer media platforms have enabled a collective pushback against misogynoir. Public outcry on social media has, at times, forced media platforms and companies to retract offensive imagery and be more accountable for racial misrepresentation.
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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.
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? (50 words max.)
| Hemmings, who is quoted in the article, argues that the media needs to tell stories differently, going against the dominant story. Pieces written with these goals in mind will be more impactful and can have a larger political and societal impact. Instead of traditional ideas of what a sports media is, it should be considered any media written about sports regardless of the publication network or the intended consumer.
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C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
| It is my belief that organizations like the NFL and the NBA have the utmost responsibility to recognize movements like BLM. Sports icons such as Colin Kaepernick stand as symbols of how the sports industry can and must do better in regard to recognizing how they can best support societal movements. As large and globally recognized organizations, the NBA and NFL have a duty to use their platform to advocate for the safety and protection of everyone, particularly in supporting their members. Khabbaz explains the impact an organization can have on their players in his article, as well as identifying that when they want to, organizations can be nimble in their response.
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Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
In the 2005 film Coach Carter (directed by Thomas Carter), racialized athlete activism is explored through the lens of a basketball coach (played by Samuel L. Jackson) and his star basketball team made up of predominantly black and racialized athletes. Coach Carter prevents his team from playing as they are performing poorly academically, and he intends to show them how they need to excel on and off the court to change their circumstances, which are challenging. This aligns with concepts explored in Kevin Hylton’s article on Critical Race Theory. While the players are not traditional political activists, their journey demonstrates resistance against racialized narratives that limit Black athletes to their physical abilities. As Hylton (2010) explains, CRT “presents a challenge to dominant ideas of objectivity, meritocracy, colour-blindness, race neutrality and equal opportunity” (p. 340). The film exemplifies this by challenging the notion that sport alone can create social mobility, instead emphasizing education as a tool for empowerment.
Coach Carter’s decision to bench his undefeated basketball team until they improved their academic performance reflects a form of activism that disrupts systemic norms. In this sense, Carter’s actions align with concepts explored in this module, where progress often occurs only when it benefits dominant social structures (Hylton, 2010, p. 345). Carter’s emphasis on education contrasts with the school administration’s priorities (having the team win games) yet ultimately gains their reluctant support because it protects the school’s reputation.
Athletes in Coach Carter employ strategies like collective resistance and self-empowerment to speak out. As they choose to support Coach Carter’s academic-first policy, despite this risk this poses to their undefeated winning streak, the players engage in a form of activism that centers their long-term well-being over immediate athletic success. This reflects the idea that activism is not always loud or overt, but can occur through systemic changes.
The film critiques “colour-blind” ideologies in sport, which Hylton argues “defends the racial order” by ignoring the social conditions that shape athletes’ experiences (Hylton, 2010, p. 341). In Coach Carter, this is evident when community members resist Carter’s academic policy, suggesting that the players’ athletic success should outweigh their poor academic standing. By prioritizing education, Carter and his players challenge this exploitative narrative.
Coach Carter reflects key Critical Race Theory principles by exposing the exploitative narratives surrounding racialized athletes and illustrating the players’ resistance through education and collective empowerment. The film critiques sport’s role in reinforcing racial inequalities and emphasizes the need for structural change to support marginalized communities.
