Soccer and Society
Soccer and Society Whether it goes by soccer, football or futbol, the beautiful game is not only the world’s most popular sport but it is also intertwined with social, economic, political and cultural forces. In this course, we will use soccer as our lens to examine important sociological questions. We will study soccer’s relationship to nationalism and collective identity, globalization and migration, commercialization and labor rights, issues of race, class, gender and sexuality, and the role of soccer in social change and movements for social justice. Reading academic studies about soccer’s players, fans, leagues, mega events and governing bodies, students will develop skills to think critically about the role of sports in contemporary society, and they will conduct their own research project about one aspect of the beautiful game.
Soccer and Society Whether it goes by soccer, football or futbol, the beautiful game is not only the world’s most popular sport but it is also intertwined with social, economic, political and cultural forces. In this course, we will use soccer as our lens to examine important sociological questions. We will study soccer’s relationship to nationalism and collective identity, globalization and migration, commercialization and labor rights, issues of race, class, gender and sexuality, and the role of soccer in social change and movements for social justice. Reading academic studies about soccer’s …Read more
The class was a good introduction to what sociology classes are like at Middlebury. While there was a decent amount of reading, I found them to be interesting and usually not too jarring to read. Also, Mr. Gerke is a great professor who is passionate about the subject which made learning in that class much more enjoyable.
Although the coursework seems to repeat itself at times, Professor Gerke is a great human being who clearly cares about his students and their success. He was very lenient with extensions, and would make sure that he was clear in his instructions for assignments. There was a fair bit of reading, but nothing out of the ordinary for sociology courses.
The content of this course is a little repetitive, but it does make for one to really understand the takeaways. Professors Gerke is also a very nice and accommodating person, which made the class more enjoyable despite the content.
The material can be a little bit repetitive at times, but still can be interesting if you enjoy the sport. Professor Gerke is extremely nice and accommodating. I would recommend this class to anyone who likes soccer.
The material taught in Soccer & Society was a bit boring and repetitive. Nonetheless, Professor Gerke is a great teacher and is very well-intentioned for each of his students. I would take another class from Gerke- he is very chill and overall great.