Splash Biography

We will look at the way soccer is connected to various political, social, and economic forces in the world. Specific topics include: nationalism, racism, globalization, and poverty. No prior soccer knowledge or playing experience needed, simply an interest in how sports over time become much more than simply a game.

This course will begin with a brief history of soccer and the current state of the game, including the current teams, divisions, and tournaments. The rest of the time will be a discussion of how soccer is involved in a country's politics, economy, and culture. A specific question we will talk about is why soccer is more popular across the world than in the U.S. Information about soccer in Chicago will also be provided. This class is perfect for anybody who plays soccer or is simply interested in the game.

Thinking about becoming a lawyer, doctor, CEO, professor, politician? If so, you should know that these professions often require further schooling after college. This course will give students a brief introduction to some of their options for further study following 4-year college. Areas covered include: law school, business school, medical school, masters programs, phd programs, and more. Students will also be given insight into how to prepare during college for these studies.

Journalist Franklin Foer published a book in 2004 entitled How Soccer Explains the World. He attempted to uncover the relationships the sport has had with social, political, and economic trends across the globe. In this course I will explore this topic further by connecting soccer with various historical events in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Ultimately I hope to display the ways in which a sport can be used towards analyzing a variety of historial topics from totalitarianism to globalization.