Full title : “YOU’RE UNDERESTIMATING ME AND YOU SHOULDN’T”: Women’s Agency in Fantasy Sports
Authors and Affiliated institutions : Rebecca Joyce Kissane of Lafayette College and Sarah Winslow of Clemson University.
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Journal Name, Volume, and Edition (if applicable) and Year Published : GENDER & SOCIETY, Vol. 30 No. 5, October 2016 819-8411. The article is published in 2016.
What is/are the authors’ research question(s)? The research question posed by the author is whether women have faced an increased level of marginalization and discrimination in fantasy sports which has seen male domination in the recent past.
Timing – How old is previous research cited in the background/literature review section? Take a look at the years of prior research cited. Is it dated? Do the authors make the claim that this topic needs to be studied again in light of contemporary issues or conditions?
The author uses several scholarly materials to cite their information in the research. Regarding the age of the materials, there are both relatively newer and older sources. The oldest reference is dated 1986 while the latest one is at 2015. Each of the materials is dated and all fall within the last four decades. However, the author does not make any inference that any information needs a contemporary update in light of new information. The only strategy that they use in revealing modern perspectives on the issue of gender marginalization in fantasy sports is by including information from relatively younger sources dated from 2010 to 2015.
Background/Literature Review – According to the background/literature review section, what variables have been considered in relation to one another on this topic of research? How have previous studies collected and analyzed data? Are these procedures methodologically sound? Have essential strategies for data collection or analysis and interpretation been overlooked? Have different sets of data yielded different results?
One of the variables closely assessed in the literature review is gender in relation to sports participation. The author illustrates that with the domination of men, and the traditional beliefs about the masculinity in the American society, women have been pushed to the periphery. Gender as a variable is closely compared to media. Trends have shown that unlike men, females rarely receive equal treatments on the media platforms. Sports is also utilized as a variable and in the literature section and are closely associated with how women tend to be perceived in the society. For instance, the authors assert that experienced women in snowboarding often challenge the stereotype that women are less skilled. Previous studies have also played a significant role in collecting and analyzing data. The author uses the scholarly materials as their primary source of the studies used in answering the research questions. For instance, the online survey conducted between October 2012 and January 2013 in the social media platforms is documented in one of the outlined sources. The qualitative approaches used in data analysis also emanate from the supporting research material as seen by the coding and sub-coding described in the reference "Charmaz 2006." Despite the methodological soundness of the collection and analysis of data, the authors only tend to rely on the survey as their only data collection methods. Other valuable methods such as observation and questionnaires could also provide useful information regarding the research question.
What does theoretical framework(s) the article use in the current study? That is, do the authors deductively draw on theory in structuring their research and, if so, what is the theory (or theories) from which they draw? What is/are the justifications given for using this/these theory/theories?
The authors draw their arguments from the theory of patriarchy which mainly highlights the elevation of males at the expense of women in various societal issues. Women have found difficulties in finding acceptance in fantasy sports, an area that has traditionally been viewed as a male-dominated area. Despite the recent participation of women in the sports, certain stereotypes have come their way which have made it difficult for them to exploit their full potentials. Moreover, the author applies the conflict theory which attempts to explain the existence of tensions between different groups in the society. Men and male fans have found it difficult to cope with the current trends of female entry in the fantasy sports resulting in a certain level of tension.
Data – What type of data do the authors use in the current study? Is this an existing data set (i.e., General Social Survey; Census data) or something they collected themselves (i.e., interviews)? Be as specific as possible.
The data used emanates from a survey conducted on people and social media platforms. Interviews conducted on social media between 2012 and early 2013 provided valuable data for the study. Also, a survey conducted on women in the sports and female fans also provided data for the research study. Important to note is that part of the data used is existing in the research material.
Methods/Analytic Strategy – What type of methodology do the authors employ in the current study? Describe these methods. Are the methods qualitative or quantitative?
The analytical method employed in the research is purely qualitative methods. Here, the methods tend to focus on interviews, observations, or a combination of the two. The article makes it clear that it employs qualitative data to assess women's experiences in the fantasy sports. It is only through qualitative methods that the researchers could acquire insights into the relationship between gender and women's participation and acceptance in this male-dominated field. Some qualitative strategies employed include surveying, interviewing, and application of research materials in collecting data.
What are the critical variables in this study? Describe them.
Gender is the primary variable in this research as it forms the basis of the debate. The question that the authors pose is as to whether women face more acceptance difficulties in fantasy sports as compared to the men. Media portrayal also forms an essential part of the discourse where women are unfairly portrayed compared to men. Sport is also a variable as the author attempts to associate how women's engagement in various sporting activities either promotes or debunks stereotype.
What are the main results and findings?
One of the results was that marginalization, resistance, and transformations are becoming realities in fantasy sports. “Our respondents viewed fantasy sports as a masculine domain...” In proving marginalization, the author indicates that “nearly 60% of the survey respondents reported that their womanhood led to differential treatment and perceptions.” In showing an increased level of resistance, the author asserts that some respondents challenged the male dominance emphasized in fantasy sports.
From the conclusion/discussion, what can we learn from these findings? How does it add to or challenge existing research? What are the limitations of this particular study? What suggestions for future research do the authors suggest?
From the conclusion, what we can learn is that the contemporary society still believes in patriarchy and gender roles despite the many changes that have been employed in restructuring these notions. It, therefore, challenges the existing research to further look into the inequality and sexism that continues to throng the sports industry and find ways in which it could be reduced. The only apparent limitation in the research is that it fails to break down the fantasy sports and instead assess it as it in generality. The author suggests that more research should emphasize structural and cultural change and how it affects women in sports.
