Political Science 392SH - S-Sports, Policy, and Politics

Where are politics in the spaces we go for leisure and play? Sports and politics have become increasingly intertwined over the past 40 years. Local, state, and federal governments, as well as non-governmental bodies like the NCAA, regulate who can participate in sports, and what standards players must meet to do so. But sports have also become the battleground for major political discussions around sex equity, racial inclusion, sexuality, physical ability, and drug testing. Why and how has this happened, and how can studying sports teach us about the politics of inclusion, political identity, and public policy? We will focus on the linkages between policy, politics, and sports in historical and contemporary contexts, primarily in the U.S.

Open to Undergraduate Seniors & Juniors only. Instructor can be reached at: sharrow@polsci.umass.edu