Identity and Athlete Activism
Throughout this course, we have focused on how culture and identity operate within sport(s). The six broad identities we have discussed include gender, race, sexuality, class, ability, and religion, which all include complicated ideas and nuances regarding presentation, performance, and perception.
Your final paper will focus on identity and activism, social impact, and political outspeaking. You are tasked with looking at how a particular athlete, team, or individual within sport (broadly defined) uses their identity to promote their politics, activism, or impact society.
You can focus on one particular moment of activism, outspeaking, or impact, or you may examine a pattern of activism, outspeaking, and impact. Think about the larger implications of what you are discussing, all of the individuals involved, and the concepts you are examining.
Questions to consider/Use as a guide in developing your ideas:
Over the past few years, more athletes have used their platform to speak out on issues of social injustice. How do these athletes’ identities inform their decision to use sport as a platform for social change? What challenges do they face?
Why is sport such a powerful tool to construct identities?
What is the historical context for this moment of activism or social impact? Remember, just because we are seeing more activism doesn’t mean it hasn’t existed for decades prior to this moment. You always want to consider the history of activism when thinking about the moment, person, league, or organization you will be discussing.
Is there another moment, individual, or organization that is related to the instance(s) you are analyzing?
In your final paper, include the following components:
1. You must choose a member of the athletics community (broadly defined) who you feel uses their platform to be an activist, agent of social change, and/or to speak out about their politics.
Who are they? What are their identities? How do they use their platform and what do they speak about?
2. How do these individuals’ identities inform their decision to use sport as a platform for social change? What challenges do they face?
3. What makes sport such a powerful tool to construct identities? Are all identities constructed in similar ways?
4. You must use a minimum of seven sources (this includes academic and non-academic). Think about course readings that discuss some of the topics you will cover. What concepts from class relate to the individual you picked and how? Note: Academic readings include journal articles and NOT news sources. You may include news articles/sources like “Privileged” by Kyle Korver but this does NOT count as an academic source. At least three academic sources are required.
