Paper: (15%)
Through further individual research and a written critical analysis, students will be asked to
reflect on the impact of a specific athlete activist. Which style/approach was effective in
advancing social justice in terms of their objectives? Your written assignment should
differentiate activism styles (intentional or not) and their effectiveness. Be sure to trace activism
“styles” to differing life experiences of the athlete you examine and the historical context of
tactics employed. Reflect on the legacy of the athlete and how mass media portrayals of athletes
(past and present) have shaped and continue to influence social acceptance of these causes.
Consider prevailing/limiting ideologies and contextualize this.
The paper should be 5-7 pages
Content:
Content of the paper should include all elements mentioned in this assignment’s prompt
and below
o Overview of athlete (biographical information/socialization
influences/inspirations and influences to become an activist)
o Activism Explained
o Tactics used; historical comparisons to other athletes/movements
o Influence of activism on visibility of social causes in the public domain (sport
AND society)
o Mass media portrayals of athlete and using sport as a protest platform
o Implications of activism and legacy (Your personal reflection, tie to course
learnings, theory if applicable)
Has this had influence on policy?
Tone of voice/written perspective: This is a critical analysis/research
paper. Do not use personal reflective pronouns until the portion of the
paper where you are prompted to give personal/perspective and analysis
Colin Kaepernick is not an eligible choice for this paper because we, as a
class, spent a considerable amount of time studying
research/perspectives/comparisons. The point of this project is to conduct
independent research in addition to contextualizing course learnings.
Format:
Title Page and running headers
5-7 pages double-spaced minimum (reference page/title page does not count toward the
page minimum), 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, header, page numbers
when citing sources utilize MLA/APA formatting; include a reference page with
compliant citations
MUST use peer reviewed research and internal citations. This is a research paper and
your paper should analyze this athlete-activist from a diversified research perspective.
Claims and analysis should be rooted in frameworks presented in the course.
