New Media Literacy and Sporting Cultures
Special Issue of Journal of Sport and Social Issues
David J. Leonard and CL Cole
Challenging those who blamed Twitter for the recent controversy surrounding
Rashard Mendenhall, LZ Granderson (
<http://sports.espn.go.com/
celebrated the possibilities of new media technologies within American
sports culture: ³Twitter empowers them to show they are more than just the
sport they play, to show they have a sense of humor, are aware of the world
around them and are not afraid to try new things, like ballet classes. In
other words, they are real people -- not product-pushing puppets or faces of
the franchise, walking around without thoughts or souls.²
Despite the humanizing possibilities, new media technology, evident in the
power of sports video games, fantasy sports, and the often-hateful online
discussions, simultaneously dehumanizes today¹s athletes. Reimagined as an
object of play, consumption, ownership, and derision, the shifting
technological tools exposes and disempowers today¹s athletes all while
enhancing agency and control. Breaking down boundaries, changing the
relationship between athletes-fans-the media, and otherwise reconstituting
the ways the sports operates; these technological-cultural-social shifts are
changing the nature of sports itself. We seek to reflect on the ways in
which new sports media technologies simultaneously humanize and dehumanize
across time and space.
This special issue works to highlight the dynamic nature of sporting
cultures and the transformative possibilities resulting from new media
technologies. It attempts to build upon the existing literature all while
engaging ongoing debates and discussions. It seeks to foster critical new
media literacy in a sporting context, all while elucidating the social,
cultural and political significance resulting from the changing sports
landscape.
In an effort to expand the conversation and engage the issues of new media
and sports through alternative formats, we seek to publish editorial-styled
essays. We look for pieces that are theoretically rich, those focused on
asking questions and expanding the discussion, and those dedicated to
critical analysis. We seek pieces that offer commentary and those committed
to advancing and promoting new media literacy within a sporting context.
Authors should follow the ŒManuscript Submission¹ found at the JSSI website
(<http://www.sagepub.com/
Id=Journal200897#tabview=
4,000-5,000 words, excluding endnotes and reference list. Questions should
be sent to CL Cole clcole@illinois.edu or Dr. David J. Leonard,
djl@wsu.edu. All submissions are due by February 1, 2012 and should be
submitted in electronic format to http://mc.manuscriptcentral.
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