Adam Berg

Bio & Education

Adam teaches courses related to the history, sociology, and philosophy of sport, exercise, and physical activity. His research employs historical and philosophical methods to explore the intersections of American sport, culture, and politics. He is the author of The Olympics that Never Happened: Denver ’76 and the Politics of Growth, which recounts how powerful
politicians, business leaders, and a diverse cast of activists used a thwarted Olympics to shape the state of Colorado and the city of Denver. Adam has also published articles on topics such as the metaphysics of games, meta-ethics in sport, the ethics of performance enhancement in sport, and the history of ultra-long-distance hiking. He is the Book Review Editor for the Journal of Sport History and an active member of the North American Society for Sport History and the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport. He previously taught courses at Pennsylvania State University, California State University at Fullerton, and Manhattanville College. Adam received his master’s degree and Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a specialization in Sport History and Sport Philosophy from Pennsylvania State University. He received his B.S. in Sport Management from Ithaca College.

Courses Taught

• KIN 330 Critical Analyses for a Physically Active Society
• KIN 350 History of American Sport
• KIN 352 Philosophy of Sport
• KIN 630 Sport and Society – Social Inequalities
• KIN 653 History of American Sport and Exercise

SCHOLARLY & PROFESSIONAL KEYWORDS

American Sport History, Olympic History, Philosophy of Sport, Ethics in Sport, Philosophy of the Body

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Berg, A. (2023). The Olympics that Never Happened: Denver ’76 and the Politics of Growth (University of Texas Press); Berg, A., Duffy, D., & DuBois, S. (2022).  Elegant Violence: The Promise and Peril of a ‘Feminine’ Sport Ethic.” Sport in Society; Berg, A.,Schultz, J., and Linden, A. (2020). Manning Up: Modern Manhood, Rudimentary Pugilistic Capital, and Esquire Network’s White-Collar Brawlers. Journal of Sport and Social Issues 44, 1: 70-92; Berg, A. (2018). The Compatibility of Zero-Sum Logic and Mutualism. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport 45, 3: 233-249; Berg, A. (2018). Questions of Athletic Excellence and Justice in Sport. Sport, Ethics and Philosophy 12, 2: 292-303.