VOTE FOR ME....

A documentary exploring the possibility of Democracy in China, is our outing for Monday. This movie touches on aspects of Learning Unit 2-6.

I look forward to seeing you all there
There will be a Q&A on the movie
Here are 3 links you may be intrested in regardsing background and information on the movie:
1. http://pleasevoteforme.org/
2. http://www.whydemocracy.net/
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Please_Vote_for_Me

kind thanks

Mark

Miracle: The man, the speech, the story...

Following from last weeks film, 'Miracle', the story of the US Ice hockey's significant triumph over Russia in the 1980 Winter Olympics, i had some information request and so thought you might like the following:

1. Herb Brook's speech from American Rhetoric, a website of movie speeches(you can hear and have the text of his actual speech!): http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechmiracle3.html

2. Wikipedia's information on the film: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_(film)

3. Herb Brooks Bio from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herb_Brooks

4. Famous quotes from his speeches: http://famous-sports-quotes.com/herb-brooks-quotations.htm

5. Website of the Herb Brooks Foundation: http://www.herbbrooksfoundation.com/index2.html

6. The Wikipedia page on that game and its effect: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_Ice

Enjoy

Franklin who?

Following up form todays video, the Power of the Game, take note that Franklin Foer write one of the more interesting books on soccer and its relationhsip to the global village. It's called 'How Soccer Explains the World'
Here are some reviews. I encourage you to read it. The first is one from the more famous blogs, called Mother Jones...

1. http://www.motherjones.com/news/qa/2004/08/08_400.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Soccer_Explains_the_World

The Parallel Olympics..

Yes, thats rights, the Paralympics is short for 'parallel', not 'paraplegic' as is often mistakenly thought:

Follow the links below for some amazing Paralympic news and information:

1. Google's newslinks form the Beijing Paralympics: http://news.google.co.za/news?hl=en&q=Paralympics&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=news_group&resnum=1&ct=title

2. Wikipedia's page all about the Paralympic Games: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralympic_Games

3. Wikipedia's page specifically about the Beijing Paralympics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Summer_Paralympics

4. The website fo the Intrenational Paralympic Commitee: http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/index.html

5. The personal blog of the IPC chairman, Sir Philip Craven, at the Beijing Olympics:

http://blog.paralympic.org/

6. Ernst Van Dyk' s (SA's winner of the wheelchair marathon) website and blog: http://www.ernstvdyk.co.za/

7. Chantal Petitclerc, the amazing Canadian who yesterday broke 3 world records in 1 day at the Games: http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=d385aedc-1647-4f6b-bcc8-0a79b54c72f5

The impact of F1 on car companies and other Financial Times articles

The Financial Times publishes a series of inserts into its newspapers, on the Business of Sport. Fortunately these are availible online. Click on the links below for a chosen sample relating to your sport sociology subjects:

1. The impact of Formula 1 on Car manufacturers
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da10e9b0-73dc-11dd-8a66-0000779fd18c,dwp_uuid=1d7d1f1a-2041-11dd-80b4-000077b07658.html
2. Golf: trying to attract families and children to the game
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/edf4ce76-4f54-11dd-b050-000077b07658,dwp_uuid=83d1978a-360f-11dd-8bb8-0000779fd2ac.html
There are other articles availible on bussiness and societal aspsct of tennis, soccer, The America's Cup, and the Beijing Olympics...
Enjoy

A recommendable blog...

you may want to keep your eye on this blog on the bussiness of sport...
http://thesportsbizblog.blogspot.com/

Mark

South African sport of late...

So lately SA cricket, rugby and the olympic team seem to be having not the best of times...
Conisdering the first two were doing so well untill recently, and in the latter case, SA's performance at the Olympics was its worst in 50 years.

We will unpack these issues in class this week, so give them some thought.

The ultimate sociological issue of our time in SA, is transformation. It affects not only sport but every aspect of society.
General thinking is that SA will either have to be happy with a focus on performance or transformation - both are not possible at the same time, or are they?
Will more money solve the problem? Have we been so engaged in our own transformation, that we have lost sight of how international sport has gone 'supersonic'.
Has this problem been around for a longer while, we just havent been aware of it beacuse of some brilliant individuals who brought home medals and kept opinion postive about the SA team in general.

Bring your opinions, but be sure to know facts.

The Oympics are over...what do you think?

Welcome back from your holiday.
on Monday we will be discussing some recent issues and how they relate to aspsct we have learnt so far about sport sociology.
Read the following articles and bring to class you opnion of what you think;
Read the follwing articles by clicking on the links below:
1. http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4577045&fSectionId=552&fSetId=662
2. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ca146104-70ad-11dd-b514-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1
Enjoy

Mark

Readings from todays subjects...

Hello, here are a readings that relate to topics we covered today.

On designers jeans, and the rise of indivualism

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designer_label

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordache

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designer_jeans

On group behaviour and group dynamic:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowd_psychology

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_behaviour

On holligans and group violence:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooligan

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casuals

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_hooliganism

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_Effervescence

Enjoy! and best of luck for next weeks exams

You are witness to Olympic History...

Two day ago, Michael Phelps, made history by winning the most medals of any Olympian in the modern era.

In the next couple of days he aims to win another 3 medals, to add to the five he has won in this Olympics alone. By doing this he will set another record that may not be broken in your lifetime, namely the most medals won in any one abled-bodied Olympics.

Firstly, I encourage you to watch this story unfold. It is history in the making.

Then what effect do you think this will have on the different societies of sport, swimming, and the Olympics. Why is this?

The following articles will give you some background:

1. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/13/sports/AS-OLY-SWM-Swimming.php

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Spitz

3. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994874,00.html

Rising costs for 2010!!!

Read the following articles:

http://www.sa2010.gov.za/news/071120_moleketi.php

http://www.southafrica.info/2010/2010_wc_thoughts.htm

http://www.southafrica.info/2010/worldcup-overview.htm

It confirms the point made in class the other day, that such world events always cost more than originally budgeted for. This was one of the arguments against the Worldcup taking place here, and against the new stadium being built in Cape Town

What do you think are the arguments of a society for and against the World Cup, in light of these cost increases? Why are such costs worth it to a society, and why may they be problematic?

Which part of society is affected and how?

How would a Marxist approach view the situtaion. how would a functionalist approach view the situation?

South Africa's Performance at the Olympics

So far SA has no medals, and doesnt look like getting any, anytime soon.
Why do think this is?

Research the situation that has lead to some controversy and disatisfaction within the SA team. Look at pressclippings on IOL, News24 and others.

Now, from a sociological perspective:
1. What effect will this situation have on the greater society?
2. How will functionalists think the problem is? How will Marxist theories see the problem?
3. What effect will this have on the political and economic realms if any. What effect will it possibly have on greater society? Why?

You can also submit your thoughts on the blog.

Take care

Mark

Updates

Hello everyone, a couple of notices:

First, the Stentorians are now on 10 points, other teams you have yet to get off the mark.
Second, i have adjusted the setting fo this blog, so that you can make a comment much easier. try it an you will see.

Finally, see the next and ponder its question. We will discuss the issue sometime.

Thanks

Mark

Your assignment for Wed 6th August

Hello, as mentioned I am away this week on course at UCT.
Your homework is as follows:

In your groups, you must put together a 5 minute presentation on one of the theories of Sociology. The task list is below, ie which group does what theory.

You will conduct next times lesson, and present to the class what the theory is all about.
Start by reading you manaul, but then naturally search online for simple, easy to use information that helps you know what the theory is all about. Ask your librarian for assitance

I am not looking for some read out presentation. You will not be allowed any notes. I want to see that you understand the topic or have attempted. You can decide how your group will presentation, who will present. You can get as creative as you want and have fun with it. Pictures, music anything, but the class must be able to understand what the theory says. Also the class will be able to ask questions.
Winning team gets 20 points. No shows get -50 points. Team scores are all zero at moment

Ps Margeurite Hill the ADC may be popping in to see the presentations

Group 1: Marxism
Group 2: Interactionalism
Groups 3: Symbolic Interactionalism
group 4: Structuralism

Best of luck, Mark

Writing guide and Harvard Referencing

Hello all, please click on this link to take to you to UCT Library's Information literacy guide.
This was put togethere by the Westen Cape Education Consortium. The site is simple, easy to search and pretty straighforward.
For Harvard referencing follow the links under 'Communicate', then 'Compiling the Bibliography. If you are still struggling, enquiry at your campus library, they will help you.

http://www.lib.uct.ac.za/infolit/index.html

Thanks, Mark

Your first assignment...

I have sent an email to all of you with the blog address.

So, today you were split in groups, and got your first group assignment.

Here it is again:
Please write a short paragraph explaining in very clear terms what is the difference between communism and socialism. As a suggestion, use a google search or similar, and with your search terms use 'definition'.

Form your groups answer and and post it underneath this posting. Just click, where it says COMMENTS at the bottom of the post and a box will open up for you to type your answer into, then just clieck on save/publish post and when your view the blog again it will be there.
Remember to add your groups name at the end of your posting!

The deadline is before start of class next week

Thnks, Mark

DSM1 - This is your Blog

Students welcome to your blog
This is the Student Blog of Varsity College Diploma Sports Management Students 1 for the subject of Sport Sociology 2008
Here I will post for you find some additional information, such as articles websites and references. I will also post questions and homework, and you will post your groups answers here. Anyone in your group can do this for you after you have completed the work. Ideally, your group leader can co-ordinate who will do what, but everyone should contribute.

This blog is here for several reasons.

• To make your course more interesting and add a new educational dimension to your learning


• To help improve your communication skills across different media and stimulate communication between yoursleves


• To get you to experience group dynamic and aspects of sociology


• To help you develop computer internet skills


• To make it easier for you to complete homework -no need for paper etc, just post online


• To be able to ask me questions - I'll check most days

I suggest your first step is to go to http://www.blogger.com/, and read about it. You can start your own blog on any topic, you just need a google email address. If you dont have a gmail address, you can getone for free by going to google.com, clicking on the gmail header and following the steps. If you struggle, ask your teamates to help.

The great this about gmail, is you get a whole bunch of tools free, including a calender, a web design program, google maps etc. So have fun with it, and improve your skills at the same time.

In time we'll develop this blog, and you will contribute more. The Map shows where we all are. we will show with flags where you all live. Soon we will add all you students as memebrs, and limit the blog to you. You will also see a newsbar with sport headlines at the bottom of the blog.

It was great to meet you all today, and I look forward to working with you all.

Take care, n see you next week.