U.S. Sports and Society - Assignment Example

? of Lecturer] Sociology U.S. Sports and Society Do you believe racial minorities in the United s continue to face systematic and widespread discrimination against them? Be specific and give examples why or why not. Despite the fact that a lot of positive ground has been covered with regards to the reduction and elimination of racial discrimination in the United States, cases of discrimination still abound. In modern times, people from minority races face many types of separation via social division, which result in their being treated differently from those of majority races. This discrimination is not only found in the neighborhoods but also at work and at school (Anderson 3). In addition to social places such as parks, correctional facilities and the criminal justice system also evidence the rampant racial discrimination in the US. Although the minorities, especially blacks account for quite a small percentage of the U.S. population, they form the majority of prisoners in the correctional facilities (Anderson, 4). Racial discrimination against minorities is also seen in racial profiling of minorities, especially Black Americans and Latino youths, who are often racially criminally profiled. Although the government does not formalize racial policies, these practices are always executed illegally. At the workplace, discrimination is evident in job applications and enlisting. In study conducted by researchers Marianne Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainathan of the University of Chicago and MIT in 2004, it was reported that those perceived to be black, just by the sound of their names, were 50% less likely to be called for interviews. On the other hand, white applicants had a more than 50% chance of being called for interviews. Similar studies have concurred that black applicants received calls for interviews at half the rate for white applicants. On the other hand, there are instances in which whites have been discriminated against (Anderson 4). For example, in the justice system’s courts and other institutions, discrimination against whites have been upheld to ensure that minorities are absorbed to yield diverse workplace and educational surroundings (Anderson 5). Hence, while efforts are underway to curtail racial discrimination, there seems to be an unconscious biasness that favors the majority white population at the peril of the minorities. 2. From your readings in chapter 13 what is "stacking" as a form of discrimination in sports. Summarize the evidence and give examples of where it has existed in sports. Recent studies have unearthed quite a lot of evidences of discrimination in professional sporting activities across the globe. However, little has been done to understand the origin of this practice, making quite difficult to reduce or eliminate it. As a matter of fact, this practice started with the end of slavery in 1863 after which racism crawled into society and sports. In the past, participation and levels of performance of minority races such as Blacks, Indians, Natives, and Hispanics was restricted (Anderson 6). In addition, minority races were often drawn to pay against each other, especially in games such as wrestling and boxing. What is more, these fights pitting minority races were meant to amuse a majorly white audience. Stacking would also be seen whenever Black Americans would be made to race as jockeys while their white counterparts owned horses. As racisms and other forms of discrimination grew, racial minority’s athletes would not be allowed to participate in professional leagues with white athletes refusing to be pitted against black athletes in field races and boxing matches (Anderson 6). The restrictions on minority races’ participation in big leagues culminated in the 1888 gentlemen’s agreement in which clubs were not allowed to sign black players. Although these practices may have been quite rampant in the past, they exist in modern day professional sporting world, albeit to a lesser extent. That is, studies have found out that some form of racism still exist in sports, more so in the United States. This sport-related racism led to the emergence and spread of the term stacking in the late 1960s. Stacking refers to the racial segregation; the different ways in which players of different races are given playing positions in a team and in the field. The notion behind this term is that players form racial minorities, especially Blacks, should perform better than white players to qualify for certain selections to a team (Anderson 7). Often theorized, the term stacking is based on the postulation that black and other minority races are not as intelligent as white sportsmen. Hence, they are rarely easily awarded high-responsibility roles in games and teams such as quarterback in American Football and goalie in football or pitcher/ bowler. The consequence of stacking is self-stacking in which players from racial minorities choose to or settle to play in less pivotal positions such as central positions, just to ensure they make it to the team (Anderson 7). Finally, favoritism by sports scouts also considerably contribute to discrimination in the decisions on the hiring of players. This prejudice is particularly common for positions for which assessment is greatly uncertain and prejudiced such as defense. 1. Traditional masculine roles emphasize "doing" and feminine roles emphasize "being". Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? Think about how women are portrayed as sex objects in the movies, or on television, and particularly in magazine advertisements and billboards. Are there females or males offended by this under lying message? It is undisputable that males are portrayed as strong members of community whereas women are given the image of mere beings. This situation exists despite the many positive strides that women have made in recent times, managing to venture into professional and social roles hitherto seen as a preserve for males. The media, more so through advertising, radio programs, films, music, and movies, have portrayed women as playing supportive role to their male counterparts (Anderson 6). For example, in most movies, males play the leading roles with their wives and daughters playing supporting roles. In addition, the achievements of males in movies are often designed as out-of-reach of females who are portrayed as weak and emotional beings. These are just a few examples of the causes of the debates and controversies surrounding gender representation in media and society. Consequently, a lot of attention is currently being directed at the portrayal of the genders in society and literature, which mirrors society. 2. Is it sociology or biology that has allowed women's world records to drop so dramatically since the early 20th century? Explain your rationale in detail. Although women outnumber men in society, they are consistently pressured to subservience by society, rather than their biological makeup. However, the little improvements recorded by women are similarly owed to sociology rather than biology. Generally, women’s records have been dwindling as anti-change forces in society struggle to ensure women remain inferior to men in almost all spheres of life. Regrettably, the role of females in modern society is not what is revealed in television and other media, which portray women as subservience beings. In fact, the obvious numerical distinction and the more liberated women of modern times are quite contrasting to the genders and the sex-role stereotyping portrayed in television. Soap operas and advertising are perhaps the most notorious channels by which females are portrayed and mere beings and sex-tools while males are portrayed as strong and achievers. Hence, society’s perception towards and opinion of women and the girl child has greatly been influenced and mismanaged through social and news media. Sociology, rather than biology is thus to blame for the dwindling records and negative portrayal of females since biological males and females are the same and neither had evolved in any way different from the other. 3. Why do you suppose the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), the governing body for all Division I, II, and III intercollegiate athletics, opposed Title IX, the Educational Amendments Act of 1972. The Title IX, THE Education Amendment Act of 1972 was a culmination of the efforts to eliminated gender based discrimination in education and sports. In particular, the enactment of the law in 1972 was due to the numerous amendments made to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, Title IX portion of the Act sought to provide for equal and equitable education to all citizens. Hence, no one was to be denied a chance to pursue education and the benefits therein on the basis of sex. The core components of the law included equal access to vocational training, career of choice, athletics, and education for pregnant and lactating parents (Anderson 6). In addition, the law prohibited discrimination in education with regards to sexual harassment, standardized testing, employment, math and science, and technology. However good it was, the law received opposition from different corners. One such opposition was the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which alleged that the execution of Title IX was unlawful. 4. Can the meaning, organization, and purpose of sports be transformed? Is it possible to create goals and organizations so that sports are more democratic and more compatible with a wider range of values and experiences? That it is high time sports management, organization, purpose and democracy is reformed is rather apparent. The only issue is the strategy by which this transformation may be achieved. One way of ensuring sports are changed for the better is by the creation of achievable short-, medium-, and long-term objectives and putting in place the necessary mechanisms, structures, and resources for the realization of these goals. In addition, sports can be made more attractive and lovable is principles of democracy are emphasized instead of discriminatory practices such as stacking. In other words, players should be selected for competitions and positioned in the pitch according to his or her ability and not race or gender. Importantly, the educative, entertainment, and cohesive functions of sports should be upheld and balanced. Organizations that run sports should also be democratized so that favoritism on the basis of sex, race, or ethnicity is no longer practised. 7. Among the four vantage points for making change in North American sport, which one would you choose and why? Be specific and give a detailed answer. There are numerous ways in which the North American society can reform sports to serve it better. A preferred way of changing sports would be to work from inside, instead of forming rebellious groups to thwart other stakeholders’ efforts at making the discipline more professional and productive. In this approach, one only needs to participate in a sport or become a member of a sports organization and play whatever role, provided the role corresponds with the position occupied in the sport or in the organization. Being an insider would give one the edge of being in a position to directly influence and effect changes. Furthermore, one could even transform a sport so much that even the outside society may be changed for the better. This involvement and reformation of sports should focus on the four pillars of sports; education, medical services, research, and entertainment to change the meaning, purpose, and organization (Anderson, 2010). Work Cited Anderson, E. Sport, Theory and Social Problems: A Critical Introduction. (2010). Oxon. Routledge. Read More