Sections offered FALL 2021:
#40806 |
CLARK BARWICK |
TuTh 11:30am-12:45pm |
HU 111 |
CLASS NOTES: IUB GenEd S&H credit; COLL (CASE) S&H Breadth of Inquiry credit
Above class meets In Person. For more information visit https://covid.iu.edu/learning-modes/index.html
Over the last half century, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has had a massive impact on popular culture in the United States and around the globe. From social activism to sneaker sales, the league has both shaped and reflected how we understand race, and in particular, Black masculinity. In this cultural studies seminar, we will examine the NBA through the lens of critical race theory, paying particular attention to the inventiveness and expressiveness of the players—both as voices for social change and also as prolific creators of style—as well as to the ever-present tensions of a multi-billion-dollar game played by mostly Black players (employed by almost exclusively white owners) in front of largely white audiences.
In our exploration of NBA history, our analysis may focus on Bill Russell and the 1960s Celtics, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dr. J, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the Bad Boys Pistons, hip hop, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, the Dream Team, the emergence of the WNBA, Allen Iverson, Shaq and Kobe, Dirk Nowitzki and the globalization of the NBA, the Malice at the Palace, LeBron James, the analytics revolution, Jeremy Lin, Jason Collins, the Donald Sterling saga, and most recently, Black Lives Matter. We will also examine the State of Indiana’s own “Hoosier” basketball tradition and ask how this connects to our larger discussions of race and popular culture.
No prior knowledge of the NBA is expected or required. This class will be reading and writing intensive.