Last Updated: Thu, 01/01/2026
Syllabus
PDF required. Please edit this page and upload a PDF. Please check PDF for accessibility prior to submission.
General Class Information
Academic year:
2026
Semester:
Spring
Course prefix:
HTS
Course number:
3089
Section:
A
CRN
33134
Instructor first name:
Declan
Instructor last name:
Abernethy
Class Details
Course description:

Sport is, of course, a human creation. However, many have come to think of sport as a natural endeavor, and, therefore, as neutral. In this course, we will deconstruct the idea of sport through the lenses of science and technology studies to better understand how sport is created by people and how sport conversely co-creates and reinforces elements of human culture. By approaching sport through science and technology studies, we will explore: 

 

  • What constitutes “sport,” science, technology, and performance.
  • The sociological phenomena relevant to the intersection of science, technology, and sports.
  • Literature concerning debates on the role of technology in supporting and contesting social inequalities through sports.
  • How scientists describe and interpret perceived human differences (e.g., race, sex/gender) as they are related to sport performance.
  • Literature on the impact of science and technology on athletic performance.
  • Literature regarding safety, risk, and the role of medicine in sports.
  • Debates surrounding cyborg athletes
  • Debates questioning the role of technology in officiating
  • The potential ramifications of sports gambling
  • How technological developments alter sports leagues, media, and fandom
  • Questions concerning athletics and environmental issues
Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area.

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.

 

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:

 • How do I understand human experiences and connections?

 

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:

• Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.

 

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:

· Intercultural Competence

· Perspective-Taking

· Persuasion