Athletes for Human Rights: Making Case for

Scholar-Athlete-Activist

Mary HumsUniversity of Louisville

& Eli Wolff

Brown University

“The sport, recreation and play domain, far from being trivial, is essential for fully realizing the human rights promise.”

-Hubbard, 2004

Athletes for Human Rights

• Lawyers for Human Rights

• Physicians for Human Rights

Current Environment?

• Academic Culture (Nerds)

• Athletics Culture (Jocks)

• Community Engagement Culture (Hippies)

More Alike than Different?

• Scholar• Athlete • Activist

What are shared skills/knowledge?What is inter-relationship?

Activism

“Activism is as vast as the human imagination, as deep as the human mind, as bold as the human heart.”

- William Ayers, Teaching Toward Freedom, 2004

Dimensions of Sport & Social Change

“We identify four embedded dimensions of sport that have strong implications for a progressive and activist political orientation. These dimensions are social consciousness, meritocracy, responsible citizenship, and interdependency. In conclusion, we make the case that sports can and should be a vehicle for progressive social change.”

“It is our belief that there are inherent qualities of sport and the athletic experience that do indeed suggest an orientation toward progressive social change.”

- Kaufman and Wolff (2010)Playing and Protesting:

Sport as a Vehicle for Social Change

Supportive Environment?

Paradigm ShiftNew Mindset

Becomes the Norm Becomes Valued

Viewed as Opportunity Viewed as Asset

Louisville Sports Administration

Teaching- Courses

- Research- Articles - Book chapters

- Service- Cards Care- SPAD Club

Sport and Development FellowshipBrown University

The Sport and Development Fellowship recognizes Brown University undergraduates who have a record of excellence in academics and sport, supporting these student-athletes to embark on innovative research or applied projects, exploring the intersection of sport and human rights within a particular context.

SportsCorps

SportsCorps harnesses the passion and dedication of youth leaders who embrace the ideals of service and community activism, while utilizing the vehicle of sport to make lasting impact in communities around the globe.• Student Initiatives• Leadership Initiatives

Embracing the Scholar-Athlete-Activist

• Give Voice • Give a Home and a Platform• Give Support and Encouragement

Athletes for Human Rights

Muhammad Ali Center

Athletes for Human Rights: Making Case for

Scholar-Athlete-Activist

Mary HumsUniversity of Louisville

& Eli Wolff

Brown University