KINES 131 - Sport and Social Justice

Upper Division

Prerequisites
KINES 010 and KINES 015 (concurrent enrollment in KINES 015 is allowed); or for non-majors, ENGL 004 or transfer equivalency and permission of the instructor.

The long-standing belief in the United States that sport involvement is positively developmental has led to it being utilized as a solution to enduring social problems. In this course we critically examine the root idea that sport participation is positively developmental and that it can serve as a viable vehicle for advancing social justice in modern America. We consider the relevance of these topics to our Lasallian mission, examine the extensive history of sport being harnessed for its perceived ability to improve the human condition, and explore the most important scholarly literature focused on whether or not sport participation really can be credited with positive human development and social change. The link between current sport development research and its community application is explored during off-campus visits to organizations that use sport to serve local at-risk youth communities.

Course credits: 1