Virtual Event
Playing Through a Pandemic:
Black College Football Bodies and Institutionalized Care
In the midst of a pandemic that disproportionately affects U.S. communities of color, young men—especially young Black men—ran onto college gridirons almost every Saturday last fall. This high-risk, high-contact activity, though not in the best interest of the players, allowed various entities to profit from their free labor on the field. Based on her ethnographic fieldwork with Black college football players and observations during the 2020 pandemic season, Canada explains how football programs perform a kind of institutionalized care to keep players practicing and playing—care that relies on the fallacy of amateurism and has allowed for the continued exploitation of young Black athletes during the pandemic.
Guest Bio
Dr.Tracie Canada is an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Notre Dame. Her research uses sport to theorize race, kinship, and the performing body. She is currently working on a book project about the lived experiences of Black college football players.
