Department of Health and Kinesiology
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William A. Harper
Professor; Department Head
| Education: | Ph.D. (1971), Physical Education, University of Southern California, Los Angeles B.A. (1965), Physical Education/English, California State University at Northridge |
| Office: | LAMB 118 |
| Office Phone: | (765) 49-43178 |
| Office Fax: | (765) 49-61239 |
| Email: | |
| Website: | Pedagogy and Sport Administration Program -- http://www.cla.purdue.edu/hk/graduate/rsm.html |
| Specializations: | Philosophy and History of Sport, Play, & Leisure |
| Courses: | HK 322 - Physical Education in Elementary School HK 376 - History of Sport HK 476 - Olympic Games: Ancient and Modern HK 580 - Philosophy of Sport and the Body HK 582 - Human Play HK 605 - Contemporary Issues in Health, Kinesiology, and Leisure Studies HK 631 - Historical Forces Affecting Human Movement |
Academic Appointments:
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Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (1979 - present)
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Emporia State University, Kansas, Department of Health, Physical Education, and Athletics (1969-1979)
Research Interests:
Professor Harper's scholarship is wide-ranging. In particular he is focused in the areas of philosophy and history of sport, play, and leisure. His overriding interest is in the area human alienation and the extent to which sport, play, and leisure can be both antidotes as well as contributors to alienation. He has two primary areas of specialization. First, he is increasingly interested in the intellectual history of sport and play in culture, most notably the role of the media (especially sports journalism) in fostering various kinds of ideologies. Second, he is studying the impact of technology on the experience of leisure, especially the extent to which leisure and technology may be orthogonally related.
These two central areas are represented by two kinds of scholarship. To the question regarding the intellectual history of sport and play, he has recently published a lengthy biography of the famous American sportswriter, Grantland Rice (How You Played the Game: The Life of Grantland Rice, 1999, University of Missouri Press). To the question regarding the relationship between technology and leisure, he has completed a number of journal articles with co-author John Hultsman (Arizona State University, West Campus) challenging contemporary thinking regarding the relationship between technology and leisure.
Recent Publications:
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Harper, W. (1999). How You Played The Game: The Life of Grantland Rice. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 605 pages.
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Harper, W. (1999). A lesson from Minerva. Quest, 51(2), 102-115.
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Sharpe, T., Harper, W., & Brown, S. (1998). In response: Further reflections on technology, science, and culture. Quest, 50(4), 332-343.
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Harper, W. & Hultsman, J. (1997). Thoreau on leisure: A wide halo of ease. Popular Culture Review, 8(1), 121-137.
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Hultsman, J. & Harper, W. (1995). Selling leisure: Culture change and the evolution of advertising. Popular Culture Review, 6(2), 45-62.
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Harper, W. & Hultsman, J. (1994). Rethinking leisure education. Schole, 9, 41-52.
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Hultsman, J. & Harper, W. (1994). The decline of the experience of education. Popular Culture Review, 5(2), 87-103.
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Harper, W. (1993). Just sport. Quest, 45(4), 448-459.
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Hultsman, J. & Harper, W. (1993). The problem of leisure reconsidered. Journal of American Culture, 16(1), 47-54.
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Harper, W. & Hultsman, J. (1992). Leisure, culture, and progress. Journal of American Culture, 15(3), 27-34.