KIN 160 EXAM 2 (Sociology)

What are the three faces of power?

1. Visible: Two groups openly disagree and fight over a decision. (Example: Olympic organizers want to host the Olympics, while protesters oppose the Games.)

2. Agenda-setting: Having the power to choose what gets discussed. (Example: The government focuses on Olympic spending instead of discussing affordable housing.)

3. Hegemony/Invisible: Making people believe an idea is normal or true without questioning it. (Example: People assume the Olympics benefit everyone, without questioning who actually benefits.)

What is the difference between sex and gender?

• Sex relates to biological classification based on reproductive characteristics.

• Gender relates to social expectations about how people should behave and present themselves.

What was Iris Marion Young's argument in her study, "Throwing Like a Girl"?

What explanations did people give for why girls throw differently?

1. Anatomical differences: Differences in body structure.

2. Physiological differences: Men are generally stronger.

3. Psychological differences: Girls are supposedly wired differently.

What did Iris Marion Young argue?

She argued that women are taught to throw, walk, sit, talk and eat in feminine ways, while boys are taught to use and perform their bodies in masculine ways.

Main point: These differences are not simply natural or biological; they are also shaped by social expectations and gender socialization.

What is the difference between sport in politics and politics in sport?

• Politics in sport: Decisions about how sport is run and who gets to make those decisions. (FIFA deciding which country gets to host the World Cup.)

• Sport in politics: Using sport to achieve wider political goals. (Canada hosting the Olympics to make Canadians feel proud of their country and bring people together.)

What five questions do sociologists ask when examining sport, politics and policy?

1. Who are the actors? (Actors: who is involved in making or influencing decisions, examples include include governments, sports organizations, athletes and businesses.)

2. What are their objectives?

3. What are the issues?

4. What structures make decisions? (Who has the authority to make decisions?)

5. Who benefits?

What is heteronormativity?

The assumption that being heterosexual is normal or preferred.

Example: Assuming every male athlete has a girlfriend.

How can sport promote national identity?

It can unite people and create a shared sense of national pride, such as Canada's 1972 Summit Series.10.

How was sport used during the Cold War?

The United States and the Soviet Union competed in sports to show the world that their country and political system were better.

What is soft power in sport?

Using sport and international sporting events to influence how other countries view you and build international influence.

What is globalization in sport?

The spread of sport around the world, with athletes, teams, money and advertising crossing country borders.

Example: A Portuguese soccer player playing for an English team, watched by fans around the world.

What is policy?

A course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a problem.

What is politics? What is the principal currency of politics?

1. Activities related to influencing, making and implementing collective decisions for a political community.

2. Power

What is sportswashing?

• When a country uses sport to make itself look good to the rest of the world, hoping people will pay less attention to its problems or bad actions.

• Example: A country hosts a major sporting event and spends billions promoting the event to make the country look modern, even while it faces criticism for human rights abuses.

What is the sex/gender system?

• The way society takes biological differences between males and females and uses them to create expectations about how men and women should look and behave.

• Example: People assume boys should play rough sports like football, while girls should be gentle and play less aggressive sports.

What are gender ideologies?

Beliefs about how men and women are supposed to act, look and behave.

Examples:

• Believing men should be strong, tough and athletic.

• Believing women should be feminine, gentle and graceful.

• Believing boys shouldn't cry because it is considered "girly."

What is Intersex?

• A person whose sexual development is ambiguous or incomplete.

• Basically, their biological sex characteristics don't fit neatly into the usual male or female categories.It's something they're born with.

What is sport typing?

The belief that certain sports are meant for boys and others for girls.

Example: Football being seen as a boys' sport and figure skating as a girls' sport.

How are sex, gender and sexuality policed in sport?

• Formal: Sport organizations' rules and eligibility policies.

• Informal: Teasing, harassment and discrimination.

How is sport still segregated by sex?

1. Separate events for men and women.

2. Some sports are exclusively male.

3. Different rules for men and women.

What is the criticism of publicly funded stadiums and mega-events?

• Taxpayers pay much of the cost, while wealthy businesses may receive most of the benefits.

Example: The government pays to build a stadium, but the private team owner earns money from it.

What is the difference between elite sport and grassroots sport?

• Elite sport: Focuses on high-level competition, winning and achieving the highest performance. (Example: An athlete training to compete in the Olympics.)

• Grassroots sport: Focuses on community participation and recreation. (Example: A local community soccer league for children.)

What was Own the Podium (OTP)?

A Canadian program created to help Canadian athletes win more Olympic medals through targeted funding.

Example: Giving extra funding to athletes with strong chances of winning Olympic medals.

What is one criticism of funding elite sport?

Too much money may go to elite athletes instead of community sports.

Example: Funding Olympic training instead of building more affordable community sports programs.

What is deep politics?

How everyday life and experiences shape people's political beliefs. (Example: A girl is discouraged from playing hockey because people believe it is a boys’ sport. Over time, she may accept that belief as normal.)

How do different sociological perspectives explain sport and politics? ⭐

• Functionalism: Sport creates unity and social stability. Example: The Olympics bring countries together through national pride.

• Conflict theory: Sport reflects inequality, wealth and power. Example: Wealthy team owners profit from publicly funded stadiums.

• Symbolic interactionism: Sport shapes identity through everyday interactions and symbols. Example: Fans wearing team jerseys show their identity and belonging.

• Critical theories: Sport can reinforce discrimination and unequal power. Example: Women's sports receive less media coverage and funding.

Why should Canadian youth physical activity statistics be interpreted carefully?

Studies use different age categories, guidelines, and measurement methods, making comparisons misleading.

What are the limitations of physical activity guidelines for children and youth?

They can treat all young people as if they have equal time, resources, and opportunities, overlooking differences in their circumstances.

What is prolympism, and how does it affect young athletes?

A youth sport system focused on winning and creating elite athletes, rather than participation and enjoyment.

Example: Treating a child as a future professional hockey player instead of letting them simply enjoy playing.

What is a moral panic?

When the media makes an issue seem like a major threat, causing widespread public worry.

Example: Media reports exaggerating how dangerous youth screen time is, causing parents and the public to panic about children's health.

What is physical literacy?

Having the motivation, confidence, skills, and knowledge to participate in physical activity throughout your life.

Example: A child who learns how to swim, feels confident playing sports, and enjoys being active is developing physical literacy.

What is gamification in youth physical activity?

Using game-like features, such as challenges, points, and rewards, to encourage children to be more active.

Example: A fitness app gives a child badges or points for reaching their daily step goal. This makes physical activity feel like a game.

How can intensive single-sport specialization affect children?

It means focusing on one sport year-round instead of participating in different activities. This can lead to burnout and limit a child's social life and other experiences.

Why can high-performance youth sport be understood as child labour?

Some young athletes work extremely long hours training and competing, sacrificing their free time, education, and social lives, often without the same protections as other young workers.

What is alternative youth sport?

Sport that is less structured and gives young people more freedom and control than traditional organized sports.

Example: A teenager skateboards at a skate park and chooses their own tricks instead of playing on a coached sports team.

1. What is race?

2. What is ethnicity?

3. What is racialization?

4. What is scientific racism?

1. What is race?

A social construct that categorizes people based on physical differences, such as skin colour.

2. What is ethnicity?

Shared cultural characteristics such as language, customs, beliefs and history.

3. What is racialization?

The process of attaching racial meaning to someone's physical characteristics.

Example: Seeing someone with darker skin and assuming they must be from a certain country or background.

4. What is scientific racism?

Using fake or misleading science to claim that one racial group is naturally superior or inferior to another.

What is the difference between interpersonal and structural racism?

• Interpersonal: Individual acts of discrimination.

  • Example: A coach refuses to select a player because of their race.

• Structural: Institutional policies and practices that create and maintain racial inequality.

  • Example: A sports league excludes certain racial groups through its policies.

1. What is Critical Race Theory (CRT)?

2. Why did CRT emerge?

3. What are the five core principles of CRT?

• What is Critical Race Theory?

Studies how race, racism and power create and maintain racial inequalities.

• Why did CRT emerge?

Because progress toward racial equality slowed down in the 1970s after the Civil Rights Movement.

• What are the five core principles of CRT?

1. Racism is endemic: Racism is built into society, not just individual actions.

2. Challenges colour-blindness: Ignoring race does not eliminate racism.

3. Intersectionality: Race overlaps with gender, class, sexuality, etc.

4. Amplifies voices: Listen to people who experience racism.

5. Examines whiteness: White culture is treated as the societal norm.

Overall idea: CRT helps us understand how racism works in society.

How does the Montreal Pedestrian Club (1873) demonstrate racial discrimination in Canadian sport?

Its definition of an amateur explicitly excluded Indigenous people, showing how racism was built into sporting rules.