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Pages:
8 pages/≈2200 words
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APA
Subject:
Social Sciences
Type:
Term Paper
Language:
English (U.S.)
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Topic:

Activist Athletes and Social Change. Social justice in various aspects of life.

Term Paper Instructions:

Given what we’ve seen in the last few years with the roles that athletes have taken in political activism, it makes sense to dig a little deeper to see what sort of work they’re doing, why they’re doing it and the connection between sport and social movements.
Sample topics here would include: “Compare and contrast the Kaepernick situation/anthem kneeling debate with the treatment of Muhammad Ali in the 1960s”; “Describe the significance of the LeBron James and Kevin Durant ‘shut up and dribble’ controversy and how it relates to issues of representation and ideology in Sport Media”; “how athletes with disabilities press for awareness, adequate compensation and increased visibility”; “trans athletes fight to participate in appropriate tournaments”
Remember that activism isn’t just about social media posts and the occasional comment or interview in mass media sources. If you choose this topic, focus not just on the athletes but their actions and why they matter. Some athletes have been active in their communities and truly practice what they preach. LeBron James was influential in the creation of the bill in California to have student athletes paid and actually built a school in his home town to show his focus on education wasn’t just lip-service - so when he was told to ‘shut up and dribble’, what was really going on?; Michael Phelps’ public struggles with anxiety and depression developed into the creation of a series of advertisements in New York to help drive awareness - particularly for accessible mental health treatment options and providers, not necessarily for a brand; Michael Bennett and several other NFL players have moved beyond taking a knee and helped to found Athletes4Impact, an actual social movement organization with an international focus and with members from all sports and all backgrounds. One thing to note - be wary of focusing on advertising campaigns and conflating advertisements with activism (i,e. Serena Williams’ and Colin Kaepernick’s Nike commercials). The focus should be on what the athletes and organizations are doing in their communities, not on how their visibility has become commodified.
Technical Details: 2250 words + bibliography (2000 words minimum, 2500 maximum + bibliography), double spaced, standard formatting and margins. See the course outline for additional formatting details. Times New Roman font. Electronic submissions only, and only word (.docx) or PDF submissions - NO PAGES or Google Drive files, please. Minimum of 10 total sources, of which 6 must be peer-reviewed academic articles. 5 sources are required to be from course content (including video content). A minimum 5 additional sources are required from outside of the class.

Term Paper Sample Content Preview:

Activist Athletes and Social Change
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Activist Athletes and Social Change
Athletes use their platforms to advocate for social justice in various aspects of life. The individuals foster social activism in their field careers to enhance continuous changes in society (Sanderson, 2016). Such activities promote progressive social reforms resulting in the fair treatment of all citizens in general. Implemented modifications lead to peace in society. The activist brushes off all the social injustices among the citizens and also between the latter and leaders. This fact ensures a conscious social setting in which all individuals know their rights and responsibilities. The playing field has continued to trigger social changes with the fostering of activism by athletes.
In 2016, Colin Kaepernick made a bold move of not standing for the national anthem as a protest against racism. The athlete decided to fight against oppression due to skin color in a public manner. Although the issue resulted in political wrath on the sports industry and society, the activist took the right action against the ant-moral behavior. It's evident that Colin disobeyed a federal regulation, but he created a bridge to equality. Looking down upon individuals due to skin color is unethical, and fighting against the issue can compromise some rules. The action of kneeling and then sitting during the national anthem drew different opinions from the public (McNeal, 2017). Some individuals praised the athlete while others scorned the move. As far as the issue goes, it had two opposing parties and Kaepernick could anticipate the revealed reaction. The individuals suffering under the captivity of oppression must have shown their happiness while the racists felt mocked through the revelation of their ill-act.
Colin gave a speech at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research held at Harvard, claiming that it's the responsibility of everyone in power to protect blacks from intimidation based on skin color. According to the athlete, activists should rise against all issues like the brutality used by police against blacks in the American justice system (Lazzeretti, 2018). The athlete reveals that the race goes through severe oppression, and people in power can't take the mandate of protecting such vulnerable individuals. Kaepernick says that everyone in society should take responsibility for fighting for weak individuals. The realization will empower and motivate them to become as bold as the other humans. Living under the oppression of racism affects the victims entirely, resulting in an inferiority complex among the affected parties. Colin advised for immediate actions on racism to avoid escalated levels that can't go through moderation processes.
Although many individuals went a further step to compare Colin with Muhammad Ali, the two activists have a significant distinction in their actions. The considerable difference between Ali and Colin is the substantial sacrifices made by both individuals. Protesting in the context of civil disobedience would cause the athlete a lot of trouble with the government. Colin decided to go against all the odds and do what's necessary for the benefit of marginalized individuals...
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