How sports can be a catalyst for change

JoAnn Andregg
JoAnn Andregg, associate athletic director at the University of St. Thomas, explains a basketball move to two players.
MPR photo/ Alex Friedrich

Sports play a role in our culture and our personal lives even if we aren't fans of the game. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX and the summer Olympics in London. Locally, 2012 marks the year the state Legislature granted the Minnesota Vikings a new football stadium.

From the local level to the international arena, sports have pushed boundaries, sparked discussion and even created progress for gender and racial equality. The intersection of public policy and sports forces us to re-examine our values. How have sports been a positive or negative catalyst for change over the years?

Dave Zirin, writer for the Nation Magazine, will join The Daily Circuit Tuesday to talk about how sports can enhance or hurt a culture. Mary Jo Kane, professor of sports sociology and director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota, will also join the discussion.

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