Sports are undoubtedly one of the most prominent cultural phenomena in the US. They enjoy tremendous popularity and are considered a means to promote fair play, teamwork & camaraderie. But how have our perceptions of the games and players evolved? What does it mean to be a South Asian Basketball player on the court? How do race and identity intersect within the sports realm? And what does it mean to explore sports beyond the jock culture and from an academic lens?  We have invited  Dr. Stanley Thanaraj, a socio-anthropologist, and professor at the City College of New York, to answer these questions. His research and interests land on race, gender, sexuality, class, ethnicity, and sports in America. While my knowledge of sports is amateur at best, I was fascinated by how Dr. Stan applies race theory, masculinity studies, diaspora studies, and more to this nearly-universal pastime. We’d love for you to be part of the Immigrantly community. Join us on Instagram: @Immigrantlypod Find us on Twitter: @immigrantly_pod Support us via our If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please share the love and leave us a review so that more people can find us! Host: Saadia Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan l Sound design & Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Epidemic Sounds