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HIS21320

Academic Year 2026/2027

Sport and the modern world (HIS21320)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Paul Rouse
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Sport is central to life in the modern world. Why do people play sport, watch sport, talk about sport, dream about sport? And why do they choose the sports that they choose? This module examines the modern passion for sport and seeks to explain this passion. It assesses to what extent the straightforward pursuit of pleasure overwhelms everything else when people chose to engage with sport. But it also looks at how such choices are defined (or refined) by the influence of ideology and tradition, class and gender, commerce and geography, education and employment. From the colosseums of the Roman Empire to the stadia of the twenty-first century, this module will consider the creation of the modern sporting world and will analyse the place of sport within the context of social, cultural, political and economic change.

Module Aims:
1. To introduce students to various ideas and manifestations of modern sport and to situate these within the evolution of modern society
2. To place sport within a political, social, cultural and economic context
3. To examine the commercialisation of sport and the importance of class
4. To discuss the relationship between sport and the media
5. To discuss the impact of sport in a local, national and international context
6. To understand the complex relationship between continuity and change in the development of the modern sporting world
7. To explore the ways in which various interest groups seek to use sport and sporting organisations

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of sport in the modern world
2. Be able to analyse the forces that have shaped the creation of modern sport
3. Assess the historiography of sport
4. Present aspects of the historical debate on sport and modern society orally and engage in discussion
5. Write scholarly essays and produce other work appropriate for a Level Two student of History
6. Interrogate the place of sport in a local, national and international context

Indicative Module Content:

1. The Modern Sporting World: An introduction
2. The Bullfight: Tradition and Modernity
3. Empires of Sport
4. Native Games: Identity and Sport
5. Moneyball: Sport and Commerce
6. Putin: Sport, War and the Power of the State
7. Television and the Transformation of Sport
8. Gender and Sport
9. Taking a Knee: Racism and Sport
10. The Future of Sport
11. The Ubiquity of Sport: Themes and Ideas

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Proficient

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Proficient

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Advanced Beginner

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

10
Specified Learning Activities

45
Autonomous Student Learning

45
Total

111

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Teaching in this module will include lectures; seminars; research training; active/task-based learning; peer and group work; critical writing; reflective learning; enquiry & problem-based learning; debates; and case-based learning.
A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of History are subject to
moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader. This can
include oral moderation meetings where the student is invited in for a short meeting with the
module coordinator to discuss the assignment. Moderation contributes to better informed
marking.
Students are able to engage critically with AI tools as part of their learning in this module. Appropriate use may include brainstorming, idea generation and summarising material. Any use of AI must be cited appropriately and students remain fully responsible for the accuracy and reliability of their learning.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Document analysis of 1,250 words Week 8 Graded No
30
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): End-of-term essay of 2,500 words Week 12 Graded No
50
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: In-class exercises and activities Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
20
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the mid-term Essay Assignment is given in writing on Brightspace. Feedback on the end-of-semester Essay Assignment will be given by appointment in one-to-one meetings.

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