Foul or Fair?: Ethical and Social Issues in Sports – Paperback, March 6, 2024, McFarland Books
By Larry Atkins
There’s more to sports than what occurs during games. Check your social media, listen to sports talk radio, or watch ESPN–there are daily stories of social issues in sports regarding concussions, playing hurt, gambling, Olympics and politics, athletes as social activists, paying college athletes, recruiting violations, academics, youth sports, diversity and gender issues, hazing, athletes’ mental health, disabled athletes’ rights, sportsmanship, and media coverage.
How do these issues affect athletes, fans, and society?
Written equally for casual and hardcore fans, this book analyzes social and ethical issues in sports in a lively, journalistic manner, combining quotes from writers, broadcasters, athletes, coaches and others with the author’s observations. It shows pros and cons of how sports affect our daily lives and society. While sports inspire and excite us and lead to social change like the civil rights movement, Title IX, and rights of disabled people, controversies surrounding sports can be divisive even as sports work as a uniting factor in society.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“As always, Larry Atkins shows great mastery of his subject and thorough and impactful research in his social and ethical issues in sports book, Foul or Fair? In his new book, he provides great insight into these complex topics, including diversity, youth sports, mental health, gambling, sportsmanship, and media coverage. His new book is worth every moment you spend on it! This is a great read for those who are avid or casual sports fans, and everyone else who wants a terrific read with a lot to learn and great food for thought!”―Debra Wallace, award-winning journalist
“An incredible read that really paints the picture of life inside and outside of sports. People say that sports are the greatest reality shows on television. We say that because sports are not just about what happens between the lines. Athletes, like us, are humans. Athletes, however, live lives that most of us cannot relate to. This book dives deep into what many of us don’t think about when watching a game, but follow along on social media and the news because we can’t get enough of it. It is informative, entertaining, and very timely as the personalities (and struggles) of athletes become more and more public.”―Andrew Salciunas, producer and on-air host for 97.5 the Fanatic, Sports Talk Radio
“Larry Atkins plays very fair with this excellent and insightful book on sports ethics. Every coach, player, and fan should read this. This one’s a winner!”―Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author and educator
“Sports are the great common denominator for society, one of the few things in this fragmented world that brings masses of people together. Athletes, teams and leagues are mega-powerful, fueled by the media who document and rely upon teams’ successes. Larry Atkins goes deep into these ideas, presenting a thorough history of sports and journalism, from youth sports to the pro leagues. The way we participate in, talk about and regard sports influences how we, as people, act and react to life. There are important lessons here for everyone.”―George Miller, associate dean for academic affairs, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
About the Author
Larry Atkins teaches journalism at Temple University and Arcadia University, where he also teaches social issues in sports. He has written more than 500 Op-Eds, articles, and essays for many major publications, including Newsweek, The Hill, Huffington Post, and Washington Post.
Product details
- Publisher: McFarland
- Publication date: March 6, 2024
- Language: English
- Print length: 280 pages
- ISBN-10: 1476686211
- ISBN-13: 978-1476686219
Amazon.com link: 
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Skewed: A Critical Thinker’s Guide to Media Bias (Prometheus Books, August 2016)
Editorial Reviews
Review
“It’s not surprising that as a media literacy advocate I believe Skewed is an essential read. With the information overload we experience daily, there has never been a more important time to reflect on bias, polarization, and objectivity in journalism. Skewed takes us on a deep dive into these issues, which are vital to our democracy today. It asks important questions and makes us think about the news we consume and create. I hope this book sparks conversation in every classroom in the United States.”
—MICHELLE CIULLA LIPKIN, executive director, National Association for Media Literacy Education
“Hard news is passing through a difficult period of change. Print news is fading, television journalism has become little more than profit-seeking entertainment masquerading as real news, and meanwhile the World Wide Web caters to every bias and delusion. All this comes, of course, at the expense of truth, reality, and an informed public. Skewed is an urgent, invaluable, must-read book for everyone who consumes news of any kind. Well-written and thoroughly enlightening, this book is packed with many brilliant insights and practical tips. Atkins shows us how best to navigate through the deceptive, dishonest, and socially destructive jungle that is contemporary news.”
—GUY P. HARRISON, author of Good Thinking and 50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True
“In the digital age, when we have the world at our fingertips—and often in the palm of our hand—it’s essential that we be critical consumers of information. That starts by understanding the role of journalism, its place in our democracy, and how we arrived at this polarized point in time. Larry Atkins provides a comprehensive history and analysis of the impact of journalism, in a transparent, readable, and rather-objective fashion. This isn’t information that should be absorbed only by journalism students or media literacy scholars. This is information that is relevant to anyone who believes in liberty and aspires to live in a just, tranquil, and prosperous society.”
—GEORGE MILLER, associate professor of journalism, Temple University
“Skewed is packed with practical information, deep insights, and Larry Atkins’s grounded common sense. Highly recommended!”
—JONATHAN MABERRY, New York Times–bestselling author of Patient Zero and Kill Switch
“For two decades, Americans trusted one man, Walter Cronkite, to tell them what was happening in the world. His sign-off line, ‘And that’s the way it is,’ was a nightly reminder of his journalistic objectivity. Today, with our seemingly unlimited news sources, we have to settle for . . . ‘truthiness.’ Larry Atkins’s book Skewed shows us how to get past the talking heads, the yelling, and the snarky reporting to understand the reality behind the story.”
—DAN GIANCATERINO, Education Services Manager, Jenkins Law Library
“A useful account of a valuable dimension of contemporary journalism—a must-read.”
—SHEKHAR DESHPANDE, professor, Department of Media and Communications, Arcadia University
About the Author
Larry Atkins is a journalist, a lawyer, and a university journalism professor. He is an adjunct professor of journalism at Temple University, Arcadia University, and Montgomery County Community College. He has written more than four hundred articles, op-eds, and essays for many publications, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Baltimore Sun, the Chicago Tribune, the Christian Science Monitor, the Plain Dealer (Cleveland), the Dallas Morning News, the Detroit News, Huffingtonpost.com, the Los Angeles Daily News, Newsday, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post, and many others. He has been interviewed by many media outlets, including National Public Radio. He is the author of Larry the Liberal Lawyer Lashes Out and contributed a chapter to The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing.
Product details
- Hardcover: 280 pages
- Publisher: Prometheus Books (August 16, 2016)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1633881652
- ISBN-13: 978-1633881655
- Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.2 x 9.3 inches
You can buy this book on Amazon at:
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