Session and Reading Schedule

Week 1

August 28 Introduction to the course
August 30 Relationships b/w work and play 1: PLAY AS COMMUNICATION
READING: Kenneth Cohen: “A Mutually Comprehensible World?” [E-RES]

Week 2

September 4 Relationships b/w work and play 2: LEISURE AS ELITE PERFORMANCE
READING: Charlene Lewis, “Community and Competition” [E-RES]
September 6 Relationships b/w work and play 3: CHARACTER AND MIDDLE-CLASS RESPECTIBILITY
READING : Jocelyn Wills, “Respectable Mediocrity” [E-RES]

Week 3

September 11 Relationships b/w work and play 4: CHILDHOOD WORK AS SOCIALIZATION
READING : Todd Postol, “Creating the American Newspaper Boy” [E-RES]
September 13 Relationships b/w work and play 5: WORK AS PLAY
READING : Steven Gelber, “Kits: Assembly as Craft” [E-RES] CLASS ENDS AT 10:45

Week 4

September 18 Relationships b/w work and play 6: COMMERCIALIZATION
READING : Kirse Granat May, “Wish They All Could be California” [E-RES]
September 20 * * * IN-CLASS THEORY EXAM* * *

Week 5

September 25 “This brutal exhibition” READING: Gorn, pp. 11-68 RESEARCH PROPOSAL DUE IN CLASS
September 27 The golden age READING: Gorn, pp. 69-128

Week 6

October 2 Why historians should care about boxing READING: Gorn, pp. 129-206
October 4 “A deliciously wicked after-work recreation” READING: Gorn, pp. 207-254

Week 7 Class will not be held this week. We will schedule individual meetings to discuss your project.

Week 8 * * * NO CLASS * * *

Week 9

October 23 * * * PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS IN CLASS * * *
October 25 Women’s early forays into sports (croquet / skating / tennis) READING: Warner, pp. xi-60

Week 10

October 30 The revolution? (swimming / the Olympics / cycling) READING: Warner, pp. 61-137
November 1 * * * Research progress reports in class * * *

Week 11

November 6 Exercise and schooling READING: Warner, pp. 141-195
November 8 Merging private and public READING: Warner, pp. 196-247

Week 12

November 13 * * * PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS IN CLASS * * *
November 15 Riding Giants

Week 13 * * * NO CLASS * * *

Week 14

November 27 PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
November 29 PROJECT PRESENTATIONS

Week 15

December 4 PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
December 6 PROJECT PRESENTATIONS

Final research papers are due during finals week, specific day TBA.