Heated Rivalry Syllabus by JP Catungal

GRSJ’s Dr. John Paul (JP) Catungal thinks, writes, and teaches about Filipinx and Asian Canadian studies and feminist and queer of colour critiques (among other research areas). In the past few weeks, Dr. Catungal’s academic worlds have collided with a very popular show about hockey, love, queer identity, and sex. JP put together a Heated Rivalry syllabus that is available to anyone who is interested.

About the Syllabus

I created this syllabus as a big fan of Heated Rivalry. My friends can attest to how much the show has taken over my personality. As an academic, I see this syllabus as my way of starting a list of resources to continue my journey of understanding of how the show engages what I think are enduring critical issues of our time:

The politics of racism and heteronormativity in sport and policy
Constructions of Asianness, Canadianess, Russianness and masculinity especially as they relate to queerness
The role of friends and family–especially women–in identity and community formation
The politics of grief, joy, and mental well-being for marginalized communities
The role of media, images and representations in self-making.

As I watched Heated Rivalry, I yearned to read about what academics and writers have said about these issues, and figured that other might be as curious.

I offer this syllabus as a gift to my fellow fans. It is not meant to be the definitive syllabus and reading list for Heated Rivalry. I am aware of its bounds, as it has been shaped by my own academic background and interests as a scholar of feminist and queer of colour theories, critical human geographies, and media, culture and representation.

There are many more modules to be created and issues to be explored. I therefore see this syllabus as a starting point for discussion. I hope that it also serves as an invitation for others–academics, viewers, fans, readers and otherwise interested folks–to contribute to expanding our shared reading list.

View the Heated Rivalry Syllabus