Universität Wien
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240537 VO MM3 Anthropology of Sports (2025W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 24 - Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie
Moodle

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Details

Language: English

Examination dates

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Monday 20.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Thursday 23.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Monday 27.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Thursday 30.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Monday 03.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Thursday 06.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Monday 10.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Thursday 13.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Monday 17.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Thursday 20.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Monday 24.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Thursday 27.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Sports have become highly influential spheres of popular culture and also act as trend setters in visual culture and for people´s lifestyles worldwide. We can see that today sports influence or constitute themselves major social institutions, and therefore have considerable effect on people’s lives.
This course provides an overview of the history of social anthropological research on sports – both competitive and recreational – and analyzes developments in local, ethnic, national and global sports scenes.
First, important theories and concepts, from ancient thoughts up to recent research approaches, which determined the notions of sports and play and came to grips with sports’ origins, their diverse cultural traits, body concepts, and gender aspects as well as with sports’ political and other utilizations, will be presented and discussed.
Thereafter, the course will focus on analyses of sportive activities as forms of social interactions of the people engaged. Examples presented and discussed will range from local or ethnic sports to global trends and international mega-events. It will be shown how phenomena and developments, such as globalization, migration, transnationality, social disparity, climate change, exclusion, nationalisms, identity constructions and many more, influence – in often contradictory ways – sports and the people engaged in them and how they navigate through those challenges. Particular focus will be laid on the manifold potentials of social anthropological research on sports, like its capacity to illuminate processes of colonization and decolonization, modernization, glocalization, construction of multiple identities, changes in body cultures, gender roles and more.
It is planned to invite guest lecturers to some of the classroom meetings for giving lectures, in which they share their expert knowledge about sports-related specific regional and thematic aspects.

While this course is based on lectures, students´ active participation will be encouraged and highly valued and they shall prepare for the class sessions by reading mandatory as well as recommended literature.

Assessment and permitted materials

- An examination will take place in form of a written closed-book exam to be taken in-person at the university.
- This exam will consist of both multiple-choice questions and questions that must be answered in own words. For answering the latter critical thinking should be applied.
- Using AI tools and any other aids will be prohibited.
- The first date for this exam is 1 December 2025.
- Bonus points can be received for regularly attending the classes and actively participating in them.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Grading scale:
90-100 points: 1 (“sehr gut” = excellent)
80-89 points: 2 (“gut” = good)
70-79 points: 3 (“befriedigend” = satisfactory)
60-69 points: 4 (“genügend” = sufficient)
0-59 points: 5 (“nicht genügend” = insufficient)
Thus, the benchmark for passing the course is to obtain at least 60 points.

Examination topics

The possible examination topics will be all the topics presented and discussed in class as well as the contents of the mandatory readings.

Reading list

Mandatory and/or recommended readings will be announced topic by topic as the semester will progress.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 27.07.2026 09:27