Week 10 Wall
Can we consider team sports part of governmentality? Why?
Photo Credit: University of Maryland Digital Collections, 2011
Can we consider team sports part of governmentality? Why?
Photo Credit: University of Maryland Digital Collections, 2011
mwaldron, 
lindseyaw, and 3 others are discussing.
Nadir Surani 1:16 am on November 7, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Governmentality is a concept that was developed and originated by the historian and theorist, Michel Foucault, however, was not completed due his death in 1984. Governmentality, also commonly known as “governmental rationality,” defines what politics is all about and concerns those who study, think about, write about, and report on politics. More socially, governmentality encompasses the way in which people are organized in a society, and the way in which governing or ruling is organized.
In relation to team sports, such as hockey or soccer where teamwork is key, I argue that team sports can be considered a part of governmentality. As defined above, governmentality can include the way in which people are organized. In a sport such as ice hockey, different players have different roles throughout the game, and players are given their roles and responsibilities prior to the start of the match/game by a team leader or by a coach. This team leader or coach has a similar responsibility to a government official, or someone who has ultimate responsibility over a group of people.
The emergence of governmentality is shown to not only be restricted to apply in governmental or political situations, but also the application in social activities, such as team sports, requiring a certain number of players and the laying out of certain roles and responsibilities of those who are involved.
Susanna Chan 5:28 pm on November 7, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I believe sports teams are apart of governmentality b/c they are funded by the government (to an extent) and involves some of the same structures as the govt. For example, there is a hierarchy. The coach and his staff are at the top who control what occurs, who plays where, team lineups etc; the players are secondary following their boss. In govt, this is the same w/ the prime minister at the top, and we, as citizens are below. This includes staff as well. Both also thrive for the best through changes such as hiring a new coach, adjusting the team (ie: changing lines), trading players etc. The goal is to progress efficiently. Also, everyone has a different role in govt and same goes with sports teams. In hockey, the defence has their duties, centre players have their, along w/ the goalie who is key. The responsibilities may be different but their aim is the same: to win. They adjust responsibilities to best fit the situation, and team as a whole. Negotiations and agreements are made to create equality, and making sure the majority is happy. There are many similarities between the 2; but just different aspects and a different environment.
Teams also serve our nation, so it is important for us to recognize them, esp. the govt. Hockey is the most anticipated sport in Canada, w/ the govt recognizing their accomplishments such as “congratulating Team Canada finalists at WorldSkills Competition” so surely sports teams can defiantly be apart of governmntality. Not only do they represent Canada, they are representing our entire country worldwide.
geenalee 11:46 am on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Governmentality is a concept introduced by Michel Foucault, which refers to how government practices beyond those of laws and policies, shape and influence citizens in behaving a certain way as to preserve the peace and order in a nation. That is, government is not strictly restricted to government institutions, but rather, can be found in various areas of society. Thus, team sports can be fully considered as a part of governmentality because they largely reflect the ways society is governed. There are many parallels between how team sports are organized and operate, with the functioning of society as a whole. For instance, the notion of the team, can be paralleled to society as being a group of citizens working together with a common goal in mind: to prosper and live harmoniously. Likewise, team sports are motivated by the goal to win the game, and to work together efficiently in order to reach this goal. Moreover, different players have different positions and responsibilities, which are all vital to the success of the game. This can then be paralleled to society where every individual plays some part in contributing to its economy, culture, politics, and social interests. As well, the structure of team sports is fundamentally influenced by discipline, order, efficiency, social hierarchy, and innovation. Such qualities in the context of team sports have an interdependent relationship with the way citizens perceive what justice is, and their views on how to behave in society. In other words, by playing team sports, these qualities are reinforced in people’s daily lives as it makes more sense to adhere to such expectations as they become normalized.
lindseyaw 1:18 pm on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Team sports can be considered to be a reflection of governmentality. Governmentality is the way that a state governs the population of the people it is governing over, deciding how power will be conducted, and how it is to be dispersed among the people. The way that team sports work, is that everyone on the team works together, and generally there is a leader among the people that decides how the team will work, much like the way a government does. The leader decides how the team will work depending on the people that the team is made up of, similar to the way government works. The government has to work with its citizens in order to figure out the proper way to exercise and disperse power. Team sports involve teamwork, as well as multiple other skills that would be considered important values and are promoted by the leader of the team and then by the rest of the teammates. In a governmental situation, the government works to ensure that the values that it wants to promote are shared by the citizens, and that the citizens are willing to share these values with everyone else. If the citizens share these values, society becomes more efficient. Much like the government, when the values that the team wants to share are shared, the team becomes more efficient and successful. In this sense, team sports can be considered as a reflection of governmentality, and show the type of values that citizens and people want to share with one another.
mwaldron 5:25 pm on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I absolutely think that sports are absolutely a part of governmentality. Sports organizations are structured into essentially a political system. However, the “Prime Minister” position is one that depends on the organization itself. In a community organization, this is most usually the President, who chairs meetings, works with treasurers and coaches, and oversees the running of the organization. In a national sporting organization, such as the NFL, often Presidents and owners of the company have little to no knowledge of what happens within the sport and are rarely involved in anything that is monetary. A trickle down effect from head coach to assistant coach to captain to different player leaders (e.g. defensive leader, special teams, etc) in the “hierarchy” on the team.
As mentioned by a couple classmates, values are also inherently a part of governmentality, and also play a large role in a successful team setting. A team without shared values falls apart, as does a government (Ex. Conservative vs NDP). Canadian sports are very linked to the government through funding when players become “carded” and play for their country.
Tina Loo 3:23 pm on November 22, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
GENERAL COMMENTS: Some of you made insightful links between team sports and govern mentality, but not all of you The public education system, police, and penitentiaries all were concerned to enforce certain values and morals and in the case of schools and prisons, to build character. Some of the most important values were deference to authority and industriousness (instead of idleness). These are what team sports do: they discipline their participants and create responsible people in the same way that education, policing, and the penitentiary did.