79-341 Football and Futbol: American & Global Perspectives

6 units, Carnegie Mellon University

At least in the United States, the cultural reach of football is immense. American football owns a day of the week Sunday has now become NFL Sundays. Why is the United States different in choosing football over ftbol i.e., soccer Why is soccer the most popular game in the world but not in America This course will trace soccers origins as a medieval ball game to an upperclass English activity to a global phenomenon that was largely a result of trade, colonization, and war. We will also examine how and why American football emerged in U.S. colleges during the latenineteenth century and eventually became the most popular sport nationally. Readings will include primary sources, books, and journal articles that place both sports in the context of ongoing debates about race, class, and gender. You will have an opportunity to share what you learn through inclass discussions as well as shortessay and shortanswer writing assignments. By the end of the semester, you will have a better appreciation as to why football and ftbol remain the most popular sports in the United States and the world.

Prerequisites: none listed

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