Course coordinator
Associate Professor Gary Osmond
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Human Movement & Nutrition Sci
Examination of the historical, socio-cultural, political and economic aspects of the modern Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.
This course will consider historical, socio-cultural, political, and economic aspects of the modern Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. These Games will be examined critically via various lenses, including commodification, disability, gender and sex, legacy, media, nationalism, politics, race, and sexuality. Issues examined will have direct links to contemporary Australian and international culture, media, and society.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Some background units in history, journalism, sociology, human movement studies, and/or sport history are encouraged.
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
HMST1190, HM109 or HMll9 and HM210, HM309 or HMST2190 and/or introductory subjects/courses/units in classics, government, history, journalism or sociology, and sport history.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Associate Professor Gary Osmond
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
The aims, purposes and goals of HIST3003 are: to extend students' knowledge and understanding of the historical, socio-cultural, political and economic aspects of the Olympic and Paralympic Games; to provide educational experiences and processes that enable students to develop critical and reflective thinking to understand further these Games; to concsider the roleﾠof Olympic sport in developments inﾠsociety and culture more broadly.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Exhibit a range of critical and reflective skills in relation to the historical, socio-cultural, political and economic aspects of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.
LO2.
To situate the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in a broad historical and socio-cultural context.
LO3.
To comprehend critical dimensions of the histories of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
In-class Quizzes
|
40% (4 quizzes x 10%) |
17/03/2025 31/03/2025 14/04/2025 19/05/2025
During timetabled lecture in Weeks 4, 6, 8 & 12. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Annotated Reference List | 20% |
11/04/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Critical Essay | 40% |
2/05/2025 2:00 pm |
Assessment details
In-class Quizzes
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 40% (4 quizzes x 10%)
- Due date
17/03/2025
31/03/2025
14/04/2025
19/05/2025
During timetabled lecture in Weeks 4, 6, 8 & 12.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03
Task description
Four (4) multiple-choice-question tests will occur throughout the semester based on the lectures and discussions: these tests will be administered at the end of the lectures in Weeks 4, 6, 8 & 12 (starting at 1.35 p.m. and lasting for 15 minutes). Questions in the first quiz will be based on the lectures in the preceding weeks; questions in each subsequent quiz will be based on lectures held since the previous quiz.
Each quiz will contain 10 multiple choice questions that assess the student's knowledge and understanding of course content.
Students will have the opportunity to do a practice quiz in Week 3. No marks will be give for the practice quiz.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Online quiz completed via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Your new quiz date and time will be determined by the course coordinator and communicated to you via your UQ student email account.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Annotated Reference List
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
11/04/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
There are 3 parts to this task.
1. First, create a reference list of ten (10) newspaper articles found on Trove (https://trove.nla.gov.au/) related to one of the following summer Olympic Games: 1912, 1920, 1928 or 1932. The articles must be from (i.e., published in) the year of the games; an article about the 1912 Games published in 1950, for example, is not acceptable. Use MLA Citation style (this can be copied and pasted directly from Trove).
2. Second, create a reference list of five (5) books, book chapters, book sections, or academic journal articles on any one of the games listed above. Use MLA Citation style.
3. Third, summarise the key argument or points made in five (5) of the newspaper articles in 60 words maximum each.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT)
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submit via the relevant Turnitin submission portal on the course Blackboard site.
Check before submitting to Turnitin:
- Create a cover page that states your name, student ID and email
- All assignments must be typed and double spaced.
- Number each page at the top or bottom right hand side of the page
- Put the word count at the end of the document.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Critical Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
2/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
Critically assess Australian press treatment of one of the following summer Olympic Games:
· Paris 1924
· Berlin 1936
· London 1948
A critical assessment requires more than mere description of what happened. A key focus should be what is emphasised in the press, and why, and what is under-emphasised or omitted, and why?
Such emphases, or lack of emphases, might relate to (but are not limited to): attitudes to the value of Olympic Games; costs; individual and team participation (numbers, gender equity, team composition, or safety of athletes, coaches and support crew); categories of sports; political protest; and many more.
Consider your chosen dimension/s in relation to broader socio-cultural and political issues, contexts and developments (e.g., women’s and civil rights movements, media developments, war, etc.).
To develop and provide evidence for your argument, you must use a range of secondary and primary sources, including original newspapers digitised and available via Trove (National Library of Australia): https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper
Longer newspaper articles will generally provide more information and analysis than shorter ones and will therefore be more valuable for this task.
You may think that newspapers published in Australian capital cities will be more comprehensive than those published outside the capitals, but that will not always be the case. Spend time browsing the breadth of coverage.
Early in your essay, offer a brief summary (300-400 words maximum) of key aspects of Australian participation in those games, e.g., size of team, numbers of men and women, sports represented, medal tallies, and any outstanding moments. You can glean this information from secondary sources. It should help you develop your critical assessment of press interest and emphasis.
Referencing: You are required to use Footnotes for all citations and quotations and include a reference list at the end. Use MLA style for all referencing.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT): This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submit via the relevant Turnitin submission portal on the course Blackboard site.
Check before submitting to Turnitin:
- Create a cover page that states your name, student ID and email
- All assignments must be typed and double spaced.
- Number each page at the top or bottom right hand side of the page
- Put the word count at the end of the document.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
A final percentage mark will be rounded to the nearest whole number (e.g. 64.50 and above will be rounded to 65 and 64.49 and below will be rounded down to 64.).
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
What is Turnitin
Turnitin is an electronic assignment submission tool. The tool provides your Course Coordinator with:
- a record of the exact submission time of an assignment
- an originality report indicating the percentage of your work that is an exact match of existing materials within the Turnitin database.
Instructions on how to submit an assignment using Turnitin are located on the UQ Library website
Submit your Turnitin assignment - Library Guide
Note:
When submitting, to check that you have chosen the correct file on the Preview Submission page and click on the Submit to Turnitin button. ﾠ
Remember to download your digital receipt in your Assignment inbox to confirm successful submission.
If a submission cannot be successfully completed, email a copy of the assessment task to the Course Administrator. For contact details refer to Course Contributors section of the Course Profile.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
This list of readings relates to the thematic course topics covered from week 3 onward. Note: not every lecture has recommended readings attached:
Week 3: Lasting Legacies:
- Greg Andranovich & Matthew J. Burbank, “Contextualizing Olympic Legacies”, ﾠUrban Geography, 32:6 (2011), 823-44 (Available on-line at UQ Library).
- J. A. Mangan, “Prologue: Guarantees of Global Goodwill: Post-Olympic Legacies – Too Many Limping White Elephants?”, ﾠThe International Journal of the History of Sport, Vol. 25, No. 14, 2008, 1869-83 (Available on-line at UQ Library).
Week 5: Berlin 1936:
- Tom Ecker, “Olympic Pride: Nationalism at the Berlin and Beijing Games”, ﾠHarvard International Reviewﾠ 36.1 (Summer 2014): 46-49 (Available on-line at UQ Library).
- Christopher Young, “Berlin 1936”, in Alan Bairner and Gyozo Molnar (eds),ﾠThe Politics of the Olympics: A Survey, London: Routledge, 2010, pp. 93-105 (Available on-line at UQ Library via Ebook Library).
Week 6: Sochi Winter Games 2014
- Marin Cogan, “This Olympian Will Take the Gay-Rights Fight to Sochi”,ﾠ National Journalﾠ (23 January 2014). ﾠhttp://search.proquest.com/docview/1491650679?accountid=14723
- Robert G. Weisbord, “Aftermath: Outlaw Nations as Olympic Hosts—Gays and Others as Targets of Discrimination”, Chapter 7,ﾠ Racism and the Olympics, New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2015. E-book (UQ): 161- 84 (177-80 specifically on Sochi and sexuality issues).
Week 7: Black Power Salute 1968:
- Gary Osmond, "Photographs, Materiality and Sport History: Peter Norman and the 1968 Mexico City Black Power Salute."ﾠJournal of Sport History 37, no. 1 (Spring 2010): 119-37 (Available on-line at UQ Library).
- Maureen Margaret Smith, “The ‘Revolt of the Black Athlete’: Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s 1968 Black Power Salute Reconsidered”, Chapter 8 in ﾠMyths and Milestones in the History of Sport, Stephen Wagg (ed.), London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2011,ﾠ pp. 159-84 (Available on-line at UQ Library via Ebook Library).
Week 8: Caster Semenya:
- Brenna Munro, “Caster Semenya: Gods and Monsters”,ﾠ Safundi: The Journal of South African and American Studies, 11:4, 2010: 383-36 (Available on-line at UQ Library).
Week 9: Sydney Paralympics 2000:
- Richard Cashman, “The Benchmark Games”, Chapter 4 in Richard Cashman and Simon Darcy (eds),ﾠBenchmark Games: the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, Sydney: Walla Walla Press in conjunction with the Australian Centre for Olympic Studies, University of Technology, Sydney, 2008, pp. 56-73.
- Simon Darcy and Richard Cashman, “Legacy”, Chapter 12 in ﾠRichard Cashman and Simon Darcy (eds),ﾠ Benchmark Games: the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, Sydney: Walla Walla Press in conjunction with the Australian Centre for Olympic Studies, University of Technology, Sydney, 2008, pp. 218-231.
Week 12: Spanish Paralympic basketballers 2000:
- Ian Brittain, “The Special Olympics, intellectual disability and the Paralympic Games”, Chapter 10 in Ian Brittain,ﾠThe Paralympic Games Explained, Florence, KY: Routledge, 2010, pp. 144-154. (Available on-line at UQ Library via Ebook Library).
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
1.1 Opening ceremonies: Introduction and overview Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
1.2 Let the Games begin - The Summer Olympic Games: From Ancient to Modern Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
2.1 Freeze Frame - an introduction to the Winter Olympics Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
2.2 The Paralympic Games from Rome to Paris: an historical overview Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
3.1 Brisbane 2032 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
3.2 Lasting Legacies Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Workshop |
Workshop 1 (Workshop): Using Trove for your essay This workshop is timetabled separately from the lecture. Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
4.1 Sociocultural and historic changes in the Olympics and Paralympics, 1896 - 2024 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
4.2 Essay discussion Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
5.1 Nationalism Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
5.2 Case Study - Berlin 1936 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
6.1 Sexuality Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
6.2 Case Study - Sochi Winter Games 2014 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
7.1 Race Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
7.2 Case Study - Black Power Salute 1968 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
8.1 Sex and gender Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
8.2 Case Study - Caster Semenya Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
9.1 Disability Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
9.2 Case Study - Sydney Paralympics 2000 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
10.1 No lecture this week - Labor Day |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
10.2 No lecture this week - Labor Day |
|
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
11.1 Politics Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
11.2 Case study: Protests Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
12.1 Cheating Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Lecture |
12.2 Case Study - Spanish Paralympic basketballers 2000 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Lecture |
13 Closing ceremonies: Course summary + Australia at the Summer Games: Olympics and Paralympics Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: