New Books in Sociology
Tracie Canada, "Tackling the Everyday: Race and Nation in Big-Time College Football" (U California Press, 2025)
Mar 22, 2025
Tracie Canada, an Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Duke University, shines a light on the hidden struggles of Black college football players. She discusses how these athletes navigate a system that commodifies them, revealing the painful discrepancies between the sport's glamorous image and their harsh realities. Through exploring themes of race, familial support, and the everyday resistance to exploitation, Canada emphasizes the strong kinship bonds among players and critiques the misleading narratives surrounding college football.
01:14:16
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Quick takeaways
- Tracie Canada reveals how Black college football players navigate the exploitative amateur system while forming strong kinship ties beyond traditional narratives.
- The concept of 'corporeal concern' illustrates how institutions prioritize athletes' physical performance over their well-being, contrasting with 'kindred care' among players.
Deep dives
The Unique Journey to College Football Research
Dr. Tracy Canada's research on college football players stems from her personal experiences at Duke University, where her initial interest in basketball transitioned to a fascination with football. Living in close quarters with first-year football players allowed her to understand their lives both on and off the field. Her observations revealed the distinct experiences of Black athletes, particularly how they navigated their roles as both students and players. Drawing from her background in anthropology, she combines academic insight with personal narratives to explore the rich complexity of their lives.
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