Overview
Summary: As we’ve seen through the semester, sports are more than just games. Through
sports, we see a reflection of our society’s morals, cultural values, and social structures both on
and off the competition fields. This assignment challenges you to step back and visually explore
how key sociological themes in sports are represented in the world around us.
For your final, you will be tasked with creating a collage inspired by one key sociological theme
or topic from the course, and then to write about it. In this assignment, like in this class, hateful
speech (which includes images) is prohibited. That being said, do not shy away from engaging
in class-appropriate, but potentially controversial content. Be responsible when selecting
content for your collage, both visual and written. Consider how the medium – collaging – can be
used artistically and strategically to make a statement.
Also in this assignment, like in this class, AI is strictly prohibited. No exceptions.
A collage is a powerful medium because it mirrors the way we “see” and experience life every
day. We are constantly surrounded by visuals—advertisements, social media posts, magazine
covers, memes, and news headlines. These visuals influence how we understand the world,
often without us even realizing it. By curating and arranging these images in a collage, you’ll
uncover patterns, challenge assumptions, and highlight the deeper sociological meaning behind
the way sports are represented. This process allows you to critically engage with the visuals you
encounter daily, bringing to light the connections between sports and society that might
otherwise go unnoticed.
Through this project, you will not only reinforce your understanding of sociological concepts but
also see how they come alive in the real world. Whether your collage is digital or physical, it
should spark thought and discussion about the role of sports in society and the stories we tell
through them. Let your creativity shine while making meaningful sociological connections!
Instructions:
1. Choose one key sociological theme or topic from the course:
● Sport Participants and Sport Spectators
● Impact of Sport Business, Management, and Media
● Youth Sport and Development Through Sport
● Coaching and Leadership in Sport
● Interscholastic and Intercollegiate Sport
● International Sport and the Modern Olympic Games
● Sporting Behavior, Ethics, and Moral Behavior
HhhRace, Ethnicity, and Sport
● Gender and Sport
● Social Class and Sport
● Special Populations and Sport
Find your Message
○ Now that you’ve chosen your theme, think about where you might find images,
quotes, or other materials that reflect the topic and the message you are trying to
communicate through visuals. Start by asking yourself:
i. What types of visuals best represent this theme? (e.g., social media
screenshots, advertisements, memes, headlines, photographs).
ii. What sources might offer different perspectives? (e.g., sports websites,
fan accounts, magazines, YouTube videos, etc.).
○ What patterns or key messages do I want to include in my collage? For example:
i. If you choose Gender and Sport, you might look for advertisements that
feature male vs. female athletes, social media posts about women’s
sports coverage, or memes about gender in sports.
ii. If you chose Politics and Sport, you could find tweets or headlines or
images of protests at sporting events, or posters promoting the Olympics.
3. Gather Materials and Design Your Collage
○ Search for images, headlines, tweets, memes, statistics, or quotes related to your
theme.
○ Sources can include magazines, newspapers, screenshots from social media,
photographs, or illustrations.
○ Design your collage (either way, feel free to be creative!)
i. Physical collage- use printed materials and create a physical poster or
board. Arrange items thoughtfully to tell a cohesive story about your
theme.
ii. Digital collage- use free tools like Canva, Adobe Express, or PowerPoint
to design a virtual collage. Incorporate images, text, and graphics (and
anything else you can think of) creatively.
4. Write-up
○ After completing your collage, write a reflection explaining your creative process
and the sociological insights you used. Connect the pieces you’ve placed to each
other and your overarching theme. Your write up should address the following:
i. Artist statement (Min. 300 words): introduce your collage. What story
does it tell? What do you want your audience to feel, think, or question
when they view it? How does the arrangement or design of your collage
help convey its message?
ii. Theme (Min. 200 words): why did you choose this particular theme? What
stood out to you about its connection to sports and society?
iii. Collage content (Min. 350 words): what patterns, trends, or messages, did
you notice as you gathered materials? Here you can talk about anything
from where you sourced materials from, if there were any patterns in thepages you were collecting, if something inspired you while creating your
collage etc.
iv. Sociological insights (Min. 250 words): How do the pieces or your artistic
alterations within your collage represent the sociological concepts we’ve
discussed in class? How does your collage reflect broader societal
values, norms, and/ or inequalities? Were there any surprises or
contradictions you found in the process?
v. Personal reflection (Min. 200 words): what did you learn from this project
about how we “see” sports in our everyday lives? How has this project
influenced the way you think about the role of sports in society?
Grading Rubric
Collage Possible
Points
Creativity and Design - The collage is visually
engaging, well organized, and
thoughtfully constructed
- The design and arrangement of
materials enhance the overall
message and theme
- Effort and originality are evident
in the presentation
10
Relevance of Material
- The chosen images, quotes,
and visuals clearly align with
the selected theme.
- The collage incorporates a
diverse range of sources and
perspectives (e.g., media,
social media, advertisements).
- Materials demonstrate depth
and thoughtfulness in
representing sociological
concepts.
10
Total: 20
Write-up Possible
Artist Statement - Clearly communicates the
intended story or message of
the collage.
- Explains how the arrangement
or design choices convey
meaning.
15
Theme Explanation - The write-up thoughtfully and
effectively explains why the
theme was chosen and its
significance to sports and
society
15
Collage Content Analysis
- Provides thoughtful analysis of
the materials included in the
collage.
- Identifies patterns, trends, or
messages and connects them
to sociological concepts.
15
Sociological insights - Effectively illustrates a
connection to key sociological
themes discussed in class/
class material.
- Highlights patterns, trends, or
issues relevant to sports and
society (including through the
materials chosen in the
collage).
- Provokes thought and
demonstrates critical
engagement with the topic.
15
Personal Reflection
- Demonstrates meaningful
reflection on the process and
what was learned about how
sports and society are visually
represented.
15
Clarity and Grammar
- The write-up is well-organized,
clearly written, and free of
10