This course provides an introduction to the sociology of sport. The social sphere of sport is approached as a "serious" and sociologically relevant social sphere that cannot be equated only with fun and leisure. The main objective of this course, divided equally into lectures and seminars, is to equip students with basic conceptual and heuristic tools to carry out a critical and theoretically informed scrutiny of sport-related topics. The course focuses on major historical developments of the sub-discipline of the sociology of sport, provides students with an overview of key scholars in the field, reviews main theoretical concepts and outlines the links between sports sociology and general sociological theory. Particular attention is given to the relationship between sports and politics, mass media, identities, globalisation, environment, civil society, and social stratification.
