The anti-jock movement is a loosely organized

cyber- Internet-related prefixes such as '' e-'', '' i-'', '' cyber-'', '' info-'', '' techno-'' and ''net-'' are added to a wide range of existing words to describe new, Internet- or computer-related flavors of existing concepts, often electronic product ...

movement Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...

consisting of similarly themed

website A website (also written as a web site) is a collection of web pages and related content that is identified by a common domain name and published on at least one web server. Examples of notable websites are Google Search, Google, Facebook, Amaz ...

s, whose goal is to challenge the perceived

cultural Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...

dominance of

institution Institutions are humanly devised structures of rules and norms that shape and constrain individual behavior. All definitions of institutions generally entail that there is a level of persistence and continuity. Laws, rules, social conventions a ...

alized competitive

sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...

and to raise issues of the perceived detrimental effects of such a dominance. In this regard, the term " jock" is used in its sense of "

stereotypical In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for example ...

athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-devel ...

," although websites constituent of the Anti-jock Movement often use the term to distinguish negative or excessive interest in sports, from common or positive athletic endeavor. The stereotypical athlete can be defined as an individual who uses his or her athletic ability or abilities in an effort to gain social capital. His or her identity is intertwined with their athletic endeavor and as a result they are unable to connect with individuals who do not participate in athletics. In the decade following the year 2000, increasing recognition has been given to the existence of a movement consisting of "a group of self-described

marginalized Social exclusion or social marginalisation is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. It is a term that has been used widely in Europe and was first used in France in the late 20th century. It is used across discipline ...

youth hoconstructed and sustained anti-jock websites, where they articulated 'dissatisfaction with and anger toward institutions that uncritically adulate hyper-masculine/high contact sport culture and the athletes who are part of this culture (i.e., the ‘jocks’)'”.Stack, M., & Kelly, D. M. (2006). "The Popular Media, Education, and Resistance". ''Canadian Journal of Education'', 29(1), 5-26. This "group of self-described marginalized youth" identify with the individuals who feel as though they have been marginalized by "stereotypical athlete". As a whole, the group of young people who created the anti-jock cyber movement were not students who participated in athletics. The anti-jock cyber-movement was created as support to those who feel as though they have been tormented by the 'jocks' and was initially created as a support group. As the anti-jock movement gained support, it took on a more negative perspective against the "stereotypical athlete". Such has been cited as an act of resistance against the dominant

media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...

and cultural

paradigm In science and philosophy, a paradigm () is a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, postulates, and standards for what constitute legitimate contributions to a field. Etymology ''Paradigm'' comes f ...

Recognition

One of the most cited articles giving recognition to the existence of an anti-jock cyber movement is a 2002 article published by Brian Wilson (an assistant professor of Cultural Studies and Sociology, University of British Columbia) in the ''Sociology of Sport Journal'', titled "The 'Anti-Jock' Movement: Reconsidering Youth Resistance, Masculinity and Sport Culture in the Age of the Internet".Wilson, Brian. (2002). "The 'Anti-Jock' Movement: Reconsidering Youth Resistance, Masculinity and Sport Culture in the Age of the Internet". ''Sociology of Sport Journal'', 19(2), 207-234. In the course of the article, Wilson described the movement as follows:

The anti-jock movement is group of self-described "marginalized youth" who, through the production and consumption of anti-jock Websites, express dissatisfaction with and anger toward institutions that uncritically adulate hyper-masculine/high-contact sport culture and the athletes who are part of this culture (i.e. the "jocks"). Through these Websites, strategies of resistance against the "pro-jock" establishment are offered.

After analyzing the content of various "Anti-Jock" websites, Wilson concluded that

In one sense, the anti-jock Websites can be viewed, together, as a new social movement according to Harvey and Houle's definition. That is to say, they are not linked to specific economic interests, they are working toward change in society's (pro-jock) values, and (arguably), anti-jocks are working toward a better society where males and females are nor subject to the domination of the interests of a masculinist sport culture and jocks.

Since its 2002 publication, Wilson's article has been often cited with reference to the existence of the Anti-Jock Movement.See, for example, ''Deviance and Social Control in Sport'' by Michael Atkinson, Kevin Young; Human Kinetics Publishers, 2008. See also, ''Sport in a Changing World'' by Howard L. Nixon, Paradigm Publishers, 2007.

Constituent websites

Professor Brian Wilson, in his article "The 'Anti-Jock' Movement: Reconsidering Youth Resistance, Masculinity and Sport Culture in the Age of the Internet", detailed two basic types of websites which are common within the Anti-Jock

cyber Cyber may refer to: Computing and the Internet * ''Cyber-'', from cybernetics, a transdisciplinary approach for exploring regulatory and purposive systems Crime and security * Cyber crime, crime that involves computers and networks ** Conventi ...

movement. First,

webzine An online magazine is a magazine published on the Internet, through bulletin board systems and other forms of public computer networks. One of the first magazines to convert from a print magazine format to being online only was the computer magaz ...

s devoted to opposition of the jock culture. These sites often include suggestions for activism and action against the jock establishment. Professor Wilson, referred specifically to two such sites
''Spoilsports''
and the now defunc

There are however, other such sites, such as th
''International I Hate Sports Club''
which have similar objectives and content. Second, there are personal websites, consisting of personal rants criticizing the jock establishment, "personal interest" websites which include personal concerns which include criticism about jock culture, and third, personal sites that devote themselves exclusively to anti-jock statements. A large part of the anti-jock movement began as a result of specific individuals who felt marginalized by stereotypical athletes and used the internet to voice their frustrations. In turn, other individuals who were experiencing the same frustrations found support within this cyber-movement.

References

* James L. Shulman & William G. Bowen. (2007) The Game of Life: College Sports and Educational Values {{Refend

External links

The International I Hate Sports Club Article:Wilson, Brian. (2002). The “Anti-Jock” Movement: Reconsidering Youth Resistance, Masculinity and Sport Culture in the Age of the Internet. Sociology of Sport Journal, 19(2), 207-234.Article: Stack, M., & Kelly, D. M. (2006). The Popular Media, Education, and Resistance. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 5-26.
Nerd culture Criticism of sports Sports culture Anti-bullying campaigns