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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).
| Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a theoretical framework that investigates how race, racism, and power interact in legal systems, organizations, and society. It calls into question established ways to comprehending racism by acknowledging that racism is a structural and systemic issue that is deeply ingrained in social, political, and economic institutions. CRT focuses on the lived realities of oppressed populations and aims to uncover how laws and policies reinforce racial inequity. It also advocates for the inclusion of people of color’s perspectives in conversations about rights, equality, and social change.
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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.
| Joel Bervell’s question emphasizes how Black athletes are frequently portrayed as typical of all Black people, perpetuating preconceptions about physical strength and natural athleticism. For example, black sportsmen such as Usain Bolt and Serena Williams are usually portrayed as representing the “superior” physically of Black people, but white athletes are not susceptible to such prejudiced assumptions. This shows how society constructs narratives about ability based on race, while ignoring athletes’ unique diversity and humanity. As I dwell about this, I see how such generalizations neglect the complexity of race and individual identity.
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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?
| Rajack and Joseph’s study examines numerous effective techniques for opposing misogynoir, with an emphasis on encouraging Black women to reclaim their identities and combat overlapping racial and sexist oppressions. One essential technique is to create counter-narratives, in which Black women employ storytelling, art, and cultural expression to challenge society’s unfavourable perceptions. This helps individuals to change public opinions and validate their own experienced experiences. Solidarity-building is another crucial technique mentioned by the authors, in which Black women may collaborate and develop alliances with other disadvantaged groups, magnifying collective resistance and promoting a feeling of belonging. This camaraderie intensifies their lobbying efforts and amplifies the power of their words. Furthermore, Rajack and Joseph emphasize the need of lobbying for structural reforms inside organizations. They say that for long-term progress to be made, Black women must advocate for policies and practices that promote more representation and equal authority in decision-making settings. This entails confronting mechanisms that promote inequality and creating a more inclusive atmosphere in several sectors such as education, media, and politics. By actively participating in various forms of resistance, Black women can help to dismantle misogyny and create more equitable and inclusive places for themselves and future generations.
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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 believe that athletes have a duty to use their platform for social change, but the level to which they do so should be a personal choice. Athletes frequently wield enormous power, and their exposure allows them to bring attention to societal concerns in ways that others may not be able to. However, the urge to speak out should not trump their autonomy or capacity to concentrate on their work. Social change may take various forms, and utilizing one’s platform for advocacy might encourage others to participate, but it must be consistent with the individual’s values and interests.
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 the piece urge for a move away from current sports journalism’s emphasis on neoliberal feminist issues, which frequently revolve around individual empowerment and market-driven success. They advocate for a more intersectional strategy that emphasizes collective resistance and the structural problems of underprivileged athletes, particularly women of colour. This viewpoint would challenge mainstream narratives that promote personal performance above tackling larger social justice challenges. |
C) Corporate social justice
Exercise 6: Padlet Poll
| Sports leagues play an essential role in promoting social justice, notably via their support for movements such as Black Lives Matter. By openly partnering with the BLM, they assist raise awareness of racial inequalities and create a platform for athletes to fight for social change. This prominence has the potential to impact public opinion and spark large social conversations on structural racism. While some may criticize sports leagues for utilizing activism as a commercial tactic, their support has the potential to elevate underrepresented voices and encourage collective action, so advancing social justice.
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Section Three: Taking a shot
Module Assignment (submit as part of notebook and separately through Blackboard mini assignment #1 portal)
Colin Kaepernick’s status as a racialized athlete activist is crucial to the television series Colin in Black & White (2021), which he and Ava DuVernay co-created together. The show delves into his adolescent years while intertwining his current advocacy against racial inequality. Kaepernick uses his platform to highlight systematic racism, specifically by refusing to stand for the national anthem in protest of police brutality. This event, which mirrors his real-life action, is shown as both a personal epiphany and a kind of social opposition. The series questions the notion that athletes remain apolitical, particularly coloured athletes who suffer criticism for questioning the established quo. In one scenario, young Colin understands that his white adoptive parents and coaches saw him largely as an athlete, demanding conformity rather than political action. This highlights how Black athletes are frequently commodified yet silenced when they express their humanity beyond entertainment. This subject is consistent with Cheryl Cooky and Dunja Antunovic’s work “This Isn’t Just About Us”: Articulations of Feminism in Media Narratives of Athlete involvement, which investigates how women’s involvement in sports is frequently disregarded. According to them, “women athletes, particularly those in the WNBA, have led efforts in racial justice activism, yet their contributions remain largely underreported compared to male athletes” (Cooky & Antunovic, 2020). The article discusses how the WNBA’s response to #BlackLivesMatter shown a level of collective unity that is uncommon in male-dominated sports leagues. Female athletes are underrepresented in the media, despite their enormous contributions to advocacy. Cooky and Antunovic contend that “Women’s activism in sports is often reframed as a distraction rather than a legitimate form of political engagement” (Cooky & Antunovic, 2020). Similarly, Colin in Black & White argues that sports are not neutral venues, but rather centres of cultural and political conflict. Kaepernick’s activism drew widespread criticism, although WNBA players’ protests—such as wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and refusing to talk basketball at press conferences—were mostly disregarded by mainstream media. Sports emphasize collaboration and solidarity, which may be exploited to quiet opposition. While sports are usually commended for promoting diversity, minority athletes face marginalization and discrimination. As Cooky and Antunovic observe, “the differential treatment of women athletes in activist spaces mirrors broader societal patterns of gendered racism (Cooky & Antunovic, 2020), demonstrating how race and gender intersect to restrict visibility. Finally, Colin in Black & White and Cooky and Antunovic’s studies demonstrate how sports may perpetuate existing inequalities. Rather than providing global oneness, sports frequently require obedience to prevailing standards, restricting who may fully participate in their story of togetherness.
Cooky, C., & Antunovic, D. (2020). “This Isn’t Just About Us”: Articulations of Feminism in Media Narratives of Athlete Activism. Communication and Sport, 8(4–5), 692–711. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479519896360
