SOCIO306

Physical culture ('sport') has long been an integral part of our social and cultural fabric. Sport consumption shapes our identities in multiple and shifting ways, from what we wear, what we buy, the media we consume, our recreation, who we ‘follow’, to engaging in sport as a site of resistance or political protest. This paper will interrogate sport as popular culture in all its forms, from ‘mega events’ like the Olympics, to documentary and fiction films, novels, social media, computer games, fandom and celebrity culture. The paper considers why sports are so important in media cultures around the world. It will provoke questions such as: Why is Rugby so central to ‘our’ National identity in Aotearoa, New Zealand? What are the latest trend in sports entertainment; and what do they tells us about out contemporary zeitgeist? What is the relationship between video games and sporting cultures? What are the different impact of sports as entertainment? The paper will explore popular sporting culture as a space where issue of ‘race’, gender, class, ableism and national identity are made visible, embodied, negotiated, and contested.