Sports In Society Exam 2

Why it is difficult for Latinos to make it in baseball

-language and cultural barriers -More likely to be using drugs such as steroids

Previos research indicated that sports are related to ethnicity in 3 ways:

1. They can be used to break down social and cultural barriers, discredit stereotypes, and facilitate assimilation 2. They can be used by ethnic groups to preserve and extend in-group relationships that support ethnic identities and make it possible to effectively bridge the gap between their native culture and dominant U.S. Culture 3. They can be used to maintain segregated lifestyles that prevent people from having experiences and gaining knowledge that often leads to intergroup understanding, cooperation, and tolerance

Racial ideology encourages people to

"See" sport performances in "racialized" terms, i.e., in terms of skin color Use whiteness as the taken-for-granted standard in sports Explain the success or failure of people with dark skin in racial terms Do research designed to "discover" racial difference

What is the one drop rule?

Any person with a black ancestor was classified as "negro" (black) and could not be considered a white person in legal terms even if he or she appeared to be white

Black Males Athlete Research Study

Are there genetic differences between individuals? YES Are genetic characteristics related to athletic excellence? YES Could one gene account for success across a range of different sports? PROBABLY NOT Might skin color genes and physical performance genes be systematically connected? NO Are physical development and the expression of skills in sports related to cultural definitions of skin color and race? YES Do cultural ideas about skin color and race influence the interpretation of and meaning given to the movement and achievements of athletes? YES

Recent Changes

As social conditions change, so do ideas and beliefs about race and the bodies of athletes: Most top boxers today are Latino and Eastern European. Africans are widely recruited by previously all-white men's soccer clubs in Europe. Women's tennis and golf are becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. One-third of the players on Major League Baseball (MLB) teams are Latin American and Asian. One-fourth of NBA players were born outside the United States. Ideas about "race" and bodies vary over time and with changing circumstances.

The achievements of black athletes are due to

Biology Natural physical abilities Instinct

The Power of Racial Ideology

Black male students often have a difficult time shaking "athlete" identity labels that are based on prevailing racial ideology in the U.S. --Many people don't "see" an honor student when they see a black male. Young people from all racial backgrounds may make choices influenced by racial ideology. --They may think in terms of "black sports" and "white sports." In everyday life, racial ideology is integrally linked to ideas about gender and social class.

The achievements of white athletes are due to:

Character Culture Intelligence

Consequences of Racial Ideology in Sports

Desegregation of revenue-producing sports Position stacking in team sports Racialized interpretations of achievements Management barriers for blacks

People Seldom Share Power Voluntarily

Even when sport participation is racially and ethnically mixed, power in sports is not readily shared. The movement of minorities into coaching and administrative positions has been very slow. Social and legal pressures are still needed before power is fully shared.

Racial ideologies was used by WHITES to...

Give themselves "moral permission" to colonize and exploit dark-skinned people without guilt Define dark-skinned people as "the white man's burden" in need of moral salvation and civilizing

"Race" in the United States is unique because it:

Is based on a two-category classification system premised on the rule of hypo-descent or the "one-drop rule" Was defined by white men to insure the "purity" of the "white race" and their absolute control of property Persists in the face of evidence to the contrary of the notion of racial purity

Young Latinas in Sports

Latinas today can now see athletes who look like them, but we know little about their experiences in sports and how they integrate sports into their lives.

Sport Participation Among Latinos (Latin Americans working as athletes in the U.S.)

Long history of Latino players in U.S. sports 40% of minor league baseball players are Latinos Adjustment problems are widespread

Sport Participation Among Native Americans

Native Americans comprise dozens of diverse cultural groups. Traditional Native American sports combine physical activities with ritual and ceremony. Native Americans often fear losing their culture when playing Euro-American sports.

Top management positions in pro sports

Nearly all top management positions to the major men's pro sports remain held by white men.

Sport Participation Among Latinos (Native-born and naturalized citizens)

Participation patterns vary by national origin, heritage, and generation Experiences may include bridging cultural gaps and dealing with stereotypes related to Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans

Sport Participation Among African Americans

Prior to the 1950s, sports in the U.S. were racially segregated. African Americans participate in a very limited range of sports. African Americans are clearly underrepresented in most sports. They're not "taking over" sports, as some whites continue to believe.

Racial & Ethnic Relations in Sports

Race and ethnicity remain significant in sports today. Today's challenges are not the ones faced in the past. Racial and ethnic issues don't disappear when desegregation occurs. The challenge of dealing with intergroup relations never disappears—it changes in terms of the issues that must be confronted and resolved. Racial and ethnic diversity brings potential vitality and creativity to sports.

What does race depend on?

Race depends on a classification system through which meanings are given to physical traits.

Difference between Race and Ethnicity

Race is based off a classification of physical traits Ethnicity is based on the existence of a shared culture

Do Racial Classifications systems change?

Racial classification systems vary by culture and over time, and they are based on arbitrary distinctions related to continuous physical traits (skin color, Height)

Where did the racial classification systems begin?

Racial classification systems were developed as white Europeans explored and colonized the globe and found that there were physical differences between people.

Racial Ideologies support 3 things...

Racism Genocide Racial stereotypes

Change requires....

Regular and direct confrontation of racial and ethnic issues by people in positions of power Accountability measures need to be in place to monitor changes over time Training sessions (for management and players) dealing with practical problems and issues, not just feelings

what does research show about the validity of race?

Research shows that race is not a valid biological concept because external traits are not linked with patterns of internal differences. Race is a social construction that is based on social definitions and the meanings that people give to physical traits.

Racial and ethnic diversity creates management challenges related to:

Social dynamics on teams Social dynamics among spectators Marketing athletes, teams, and leagues

Challenge after desegregation?

The biggest challenge after desegregation is integrating positions of power.

Will diversity issues always exist?

The global recruitment of players insures that diversity issues will always exist in sports.

The racially "natural athlete"?

There is no evidence showing that skin color is related to physical traits that are essential for athletic excellence across sports or in any particular sport.

What did Europeans find about racial classification systems?

These systems were used to justify colonization, conversion, and even slavery and genocide. According to these systems, white skin was the standard, and dark skin was associated with intellectual inferiority and slowed development.

Race

a population of people who are believed to be naturally or biologically distinct from other populations.

Minority

a socially identified population that suffers disadvantages due to systematic discrimination and has a strong sense of social togetherness based on shared experiences of past and current discrimination.

Racial ideology

a web of ideas and beliefs that people use to give meaning to skin color and evaluate people in terms of racial classifications.

Racism

attitudes, actions, and policies based on the belief that people in one racial category are inherently superior to people in one or more other categories

Continous trais vs discrete traits

continous traits- skin color, height, brain size, nose width, leg length, leg length ratio, # of fast-twitch muscle fibers, etc. (RACIAL CATEGORY LINES BASED ON CONTINUOUS TRAITS) discrete traits- blood type, sickle cell trait, etc.

Racial Stereotypes

generalizations used to define and judge all individuals who are classified in a particular racial category

Genocide

the systematic destruction of an identifiable population