Beccy,
I go with your drift but am very surpised that this debate has emerged
from a `its sport thats all wrong` to `it must be in geography too` as
a bipolar resentment and on ethat seems to be reductionist to an
alrming degree.
David Crouch
On Fri, 04 Jun 1999 05:27:39 PDT Beccy Bunton
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Geographers and sport.
>
> Interesting that the topic of sport has generated such an emotive
> discussion on this forum. I am generally in agreement with Simon
> regarding the disturbing nature of the competitive spirit in both
> sport and academia. Drawing out a further link from this, I would
> suggest that the distaste many of us have for blatant careerism in
> academia is perhaps very much related to the sporting activities of
> our pasts. i.e. that we haven't got the bottle for the fight
> required.
>
> Emma Mawdsley's comments about always being the last to be picked for
> sports AND now being an academic geographer need not come as a
> surprise. I can, if I try, conjure up similar memories. I also do
> not like sport. I always associate it with the much more masculinist
> and competitive pursuit of physical geography. I just cannot
> apprectiate how commitments to a socially aware and useful,
> compassionate, social science can sit with participation in any
> sport.
>
> I would certainly argue that my hatred for sport is partly related to
> the geographical education I received in this country and the
> environment of geography departments. I see human geographers
> involved in sport and really, genuinely, cannot understand what it is
> all about ?
>
> By being involved in academic geography, we are not only involved but
> also actively organising the misery of many, many individuals. Just
> think of the number of people each year, charged for the privilige,
> who are awarded degrees in geography and then go on to do...
> Surely it is an art and thus about beers and (especially) tabs to some
> extent. Am I wrong ?
>
> Just a few random thoughts
>
> Beccy Bunton
> __________________________________________
>
> Becky 'Bunty' Bunton
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> 'You can't touch this...' MC Hammer.
>
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
----------------------
David Crouch
Anglia Polytechnic University
[log in to unmask]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|