3-1 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Sports in Society: Issues & Controversies in Australia & New Zealand SPORTS IN SOCIETY: ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND CHAPTER 3 Looking at the Past: Does It Help Us Understand Sports Today?

3-2 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley General Historical Issues Evidence suggests that physical activities and games have existed in nearly all cultures. There are fewer contrasts between the games that different people play today. –Decreasing contrasts are due to cultural diffusion and the power and influence of nation- states and sponsoring corporations.

3-3 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Historical & Cultural Variations Variations exist because: Sports are cultural practices that can serve a variety of social purposes. People create sports within the constraints of the social worlds in which they live.

3-4 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Characteristics of Dominant Sport Forms Today Secularism Equality Specialisation Rationalisation Bureaucratisation Quantification Records

3-5 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Ancient Greece Sports were: Grounded in mythology Linked with religions beliefs Characterised by: –Gender exclusion –Frequent violence –Absence of administrative structures –Absence of measurements & record keeping

3-6 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Roman Contests and Games Emphasised spectacle, combat, and the power of political leaders. Characterised by: –Diversions for the masses. –Exclusion of women as competitors. –Absence of quantification and record keeping.

3-7 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Medieval Europe Folk games played by peasants. Tournaments played by elite for purposes of military readiness. Gender restrictions grounded in religious dogma and beliefs. Games lacked specialisation and formal organisation.

3-8 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Renaissance, Reformation, & Enlightenment Increasing control over peasants. People’s lives often restricted by labor. Calvinist and Puritan beliefs did not promote or support leisure. Sports constituted diversions for people.

3-9 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Industrial Revolution: Early Years Organised competitive sports emerged, especially among elite. Time and space for games were limited in urban areas. Slavery among Africans, and exploitation of other workers limited widespread involvement in sports.

3-10 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley History Lessons: Origins of Distorted Views Who tells the stories about what sports were like in the past? Whose perspectives are used to frame these stories? How is power related to whose stories are told and how they are told? Why are histories usually incomplete?

3-11 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Sport in the Colonies Sports introduced from Britain: –Prize-fighting, pedestrianism, horse-racing, hunting with dogs, cock-fighting, etc. Sports acquired local meanings in the colonial contexts. Colonial social differences influenced the sports followed and the control of sports. Public houses significant foci of sporting activities.

3-12 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley After the 1850s Discovery of gold gave big impetus to gambling sports such as pedestrianism. Countervailing pressure on professional sports with the growth of amateurism from the 1860s. Amateur/professional divide in sports followed class lines. Australian rules football was developed.

3-13 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Industrial Revolution: Later Years Growing emphasis on rationality and organisation in society & sports. Most sports were segregated by social class and race. Women’s participation in sports was very limited.

3-14 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Organised, Competitive Sports: late 19C and early 20C Sports often were used by wealthy people to reinforce status distinctions. The organisation of sports favoured the interests of people with power and wealth. Increased sport participation opportunities for workers, especially men. (continued)

3-15 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Organised, Competitive Sports: late 19C and early 20C (cont) Sport participation comes to be linked with character development. Organised sports were tied close to ideas about: –masculinity and femininity –skin colour and ethnicity –age and disability

3-16 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Sport and Nationalism National sports: –Cricket in Australia –Rugby Union in New Zealand Sporting performance associated with national ‘worth’. Importance of training programs to secure wins and cement national pride.

3-17 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley White Hegemony Australia and New Zealand are ‘settler societies’ with disadvantaged Indigenous minorities. Indigenous players: –Australia: Indigenous competitors in AFL, Rugby League and individual sports such as boxing. –New Zealand: Maori players in Rugby Union and Netball. –Some competitors disguised their Indigenous backgrounds by claiming other origins. (continued)

3-18 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley White Hegemony (cont) Both Australia and New Zealand have received migrants from diverse ethnic origins. Soccer significant for migrants from Mediterranean countries, but matches also provided sites for conflict between ethnic rivals.

3-19 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley 1920 to Today: Struggles Continue Over Meaning, purpose, and organisation of sports in communities and society. Who will participate in sports and the conditions under which they will play. How and why sports are sponsored.

3-20 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley 1920 to Today: Struggles often are related to issues such as: Entertainment, professionalisation, and commercialism. Masculinity and violence. Nationalism and chauvinism. Gender inequities and homophobia. Racism and racial discrimination. Physical abilities and access to participation. Class dynamics and use of resources. Media images and narratives.

3-21 Copyright  2009 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Sports in Society by Coakley Sports History Does Not Just Happen Sports history has always depended on the actions of people as they construct physical activities in their lives. Historical changes in sports have often occurred in connection with people’s visions of what sports could and should be like. There have been many struggles that have influenced the meaning, purpose, and organisation of sports in society. Sports history will continue to emerge in connection with struggles over people’s ideas about sports and the ideals that guide those ideas.