What It Costs Us to Win: Lessons on Success from Athletics

(3 Credits)

Lessons on success from athletics: What does it mean to win, to succeed? Who defines winning, what are the costs, and why does it matter? Can you achieve a "win" and still "lose"? In athletics, answers are clear: points, trophies, records, and awards. However, these questions also show up in life: in school, parenting, career, and relationships, we desire to "win" and be seen as "winners" at whatever we do. In this course, we use athletics to explore the parallels and pitfalls of success on the field of play and in life, with particular attention to success trajectories in the UAE and how the emerging sports scene is redefining what it means to win. We discuss how cultural values and political ideologies shape how we define and approach success and the costs and benefits for individuals and societies. Students will learn from the most "successful" coaches, athletes, and scholars of human development. We prioritize learning from athletic dynasties that show how success rooted in care, collaboration, commitment, and contentment - counterintuitive to success driven by individualism, dominance, and competition - offers a blueprint not only for building winning individuals but also for a more just and humane society.