Sociology of Sports and Leisure

Base Knowledge

N/A

Teaching Methodologies

Periodic Assessment — takes place throughout the academic semester and which consists of an individual theoretical component of a written test with a weighting of 50% of the final grade and a component of work(s) preferably in group with a weighting of 50% of the final grade.

Assessment by Exam — Assessment method that takes place at the end of a training period, through an individual written test with 100% weighting in the final grade.

Students whose final grade is equal to or greater than 9.5 will be approved.
Students who obtain a classification between 7.5 and 9.4 in the exam modality will be entitled to a complementary oral test, and in this situation, the final grade will correspond to the average of the obtained classifications.

Learning Results

To have a general perspective of the scope of Sociology within the Social Sciences, the social and epistemological context of its emergence and development, as well as its theoretical and methodological specificities.

To distinguish the “social” from the sociological scope and to apply the main sociological concepts and perspectives in the scientific approach to Leisure and Sport as complex social phenomena.

To understand the relationships between the notions of leisure, free time and work as a result of the industrialization of western societies and the importance of leisure in general and sport in particular in contemporary society.

To acknowledge the physical, mental and social benefits associated with the practice of recreational and sport activities.

To comprehend the function of socialization and education of sport and leisure and its relevance to the identity of social groups – values, norms, social control, rituals and symbolic systems.

To perceive the organization of leisure by the State, the private sector and the civil society – the instrumentalization versus associative leisure and sport.

To know the major social, cultural, economic, political and demographic trends in the evolution of sports and leisure in Portugal.

To understand the issue of violence and deviant behavior in sports, as well as trends in media coverage, its commercialization and massification.

Program

1. Introduction to the Sociology of Leisure and Sport
1.1 Social reality and diversity of the social sciences
1.2 Foundations, research object and method of Sociology
1.3 The context of the institutionalization of Sociology as a science
1.4 Sociological concepts and perspectives and their contribution to the study of leisure and sport

2. Leisure and Sport in Western Societies
2.1 Social control and socialization through Sport since Classical Antiquity
2.2 Concepts of otium, free time and leisure
2.3 Industrialization, social transformation and evolution of work, leisure and sport
2.4 Social, political and economic contexts of leisure development
2.5 Education through leisure and for leisure
2.6 Social constraints to the practice of leisure and sport

3. Leisure and Sport in Contemporary Society
3.1 Sport and Identity – values, rituals, symbolic systems
3.2 Social dynamics and trends in supply, demand and practice of sports in Portugal
3.3 Public policies and democratization of leisure – «sports for all»
3.4 Globalization, media coverage and commercialization of leisure and sport
3.5 Associations and the role of the third sector in inclusive Sport and Leisure
3.6 Deviant behavior in sport – violence, doping, hooliganism

Curricular Unit Teachers

Grading Methods

Examen
  • - Exam - 100.0%
Periodical Evaluation
  • - Frequency - 50.0%
  • - Individual and/or Group Work - 50.0%

Internship(s)

NAO

Bibliography

Baptista, J. e Pires, R. (1989) O desporto nas sociedades modernas. Sociologia Problemas e Práticas, 6. ISCTE-IUL

Costa, A. (2017) Desporto e Análise Social. Sociologia: Revista da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto,2
Edição on-line: https://ojs.letras.up.pt/index.php/Sociologia/article/view/2615

Dumazedier, J. (2008) Sociologia Empírica do Lazer. São Paulo: Perspectiva

Elias, N. e Dunning, E. (2019) A Busca da Excitação: desporto e lazer no processo civilizacional. Lisboa: Edições 70

Giddens, A. (2013) Sociologia. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian

Mariovet, S. (2001) Hábitos desportivos da população portuguesa: estudo da procura da prática desportiva. Lisboa: Centro de Estudos e Formação Desportiva

Mariovet, S. (2019) Ética e Inclusão Social pelo Esporte. in Couto, A. C., Lemos, K. L. & Aleixo, I. (orgs.) GESPEL em Ação no Centro MG da Rede CEDES. Belo Horizonte: Utopika Editorial

Melo, V. A. e Júnior, E. A. (2012) Introdução ao Lazer. Barueri: Manole

Pereira, A. (coord.) (2003) Actas do Simpósio A Actividade Física: Do Lazer ao Rendimento. A Estética, a Saúde e o Espectáculo. Viseu: ISPV

Roberts, K. (2006) Leisure in Contemporary Society. Wallingford: CABI Publishing

Yannakis, A. & Melnick, M. (edits.) (2001) Contemporary Issues in Sociology of Sport. Champaign: Human Kinetics Publishers