Faculty of Health
School of Kinesiology and Health Science

Socio-cultural Perspectives in Kinesiology

Course: HH/KINE 1000 6.0 (Sections A and B)

Course Webpage: Access via Moodle

Term: Fall and Winter Terms 2014-15

Time/Location: Lectures Section A M/W 8:30 – 9:20am CLH L Section B M/W 9:30 – 10:20am CLH L Tutorials Weekly one-hour tutorial on Mon-Thurs from 8:30 – 2:30pm Please refer to your official timetable for tutorial location

Expanded Course Description
Students are introduced to the socio-cultural study of physical activity, the body, and health. That the body is a social construction as well as a biological organism means that no human being lives outside of society. We all experience lifelong socialization as embodied persons interacting within specific social environments. An individual’s social body is categorized and trained into socially approved roles and practices that are informed by cultural, political and historical conditions and that influence and are influenced by one’s perceived gender, appearance, age, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, ability, and class or caste. As the core socio-cultural course in our Kinesiology and Health Science undergraduate degree, KINE 1000 focuses on understanding the social body as key to a critical approach to physical culture, health and human rights.

Course Objectives
Following this course, students will be able to:
1. Understand the concept of social construction as it pertains to physical activity, the body and health.
2. Develop a critical understanding of how power relations, privilege and stereotyping generate and perpetuate inequalities and prejudices about human bodies with respect to hegemonic societal standards of health and performance.
3. Critically reflect on the nature of scientific knowledge as it pertains to the study of physical activity, body and health.
4. Analyze physical activity and health as social and historical institutions influenced by material conditions of life.
5. Analyze physical activity and sport in contemporary North American society sociologically.
6. Develop and have the opportunity to demonstrate university-level reading comprehension, critical evaluation, and writing skills.

Course Evaluation
Assessment Item
Percentage of Final Grade
Due Date
Body and Society Paper
10%
Monday, October 20, 2014
Mid-Term Test
10%
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Mid-Year Exam
20%
Date and Time TBD
Leisure Mapping Essay
20%
Monday, February 23, 2015
Tutorial Attendance and Participation
10%
Grade to be calculated following final tutorial of winter term
Final Exam
30%
Date and Time TBD

Bonus (5%)
Students will have an opportunity to earn 5% bonus mark by completing 5 modules (1% per module) through the McGraw-Hill LearnSmart adaptive learning resource that has been developed specifically for KINE 1000 students.