Sport And International Relations

The contributors to this collection argue that sport remains an understudied aspect of international relations, and that the growth of its importance should be seen in the complex interdependencies and global systems of governance.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation's oldest civil rights organization, having dedicated itself to the fight for racial equality since 1909. While the group helped achieve substantial victories in the courtroom, the struggle for civil rights extended beyond gaining political support. It also required changing social attitudes. The NAACP thus worked to alter existing prejudices through the production of art that countered racist depictions of African Americans, focusing its efforts not only on changing the attitudes of the white middle class but also on encouraging racial pride and a sense of identity in the black community. Art for Equality explores an important and little-studied side of the NAACP's activism in the cultural realm. In openly supporting African American artists, writers, and musicians in their creative endeavors, the organization aimed to change the way the public viewed the black community. By overcoming stereotypes and the belief of the majority that African Americans were physically, intellectually, and morally inferior to whites, the NAACP believed it could begin to defeat racism. Illuminating important protests, from the fight against the 1915 film The Birth of a Nation to the production of anti-lynching art during the Harlem Renaissance, this insightful volume examines the successes and failures of the NAACP's cultural campaign from 1910 to the 1960s. Exploring the roles of gender and class in shaping the association's patronage of the arts, Art for Equality offers an in-depth analysis of the social and cultural climate during a time of radical change in America.

Examines the shaping of sports by both the fascist and communist institutions of Europe during the interwar period. It shows how sports were used as an instrument of propaganda and psychological pressure by major political and sporting nations.

In recent years concern has been growing ab out the preservation ofworld peace, while over the past few decades there has been a vast increase in the amount of international sporting activity and hence more opportunities to advance international understanding and peace. It is this situation which caused the Congress on Sport and International Understanding to be convened, the idea for it ftrst having arisen after the Helsinki Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1975. The venue for the Congress was, as for the Conference on Security and Co-operation, Finlandia Hall. It was held under the auspices ofthe International Council ofSport and Physica1 Educa tion (ICSPE) and was organised by the Finnish member organisations, the Finnish Society for Research in Sport and Physica1 Education (organising association), Finnish Central Sport Federation (SVUL) and the Workers' Sport Federation (TUL). The aim ofthe Congress was to analyse the role of sport in advancing international understanding and to promote research in this fteld. In addition, the Congress wished to offer researchers and those involved in sporting activities an opportunity to exchange ideas about the themes under discussion. The aim of the Congress was to fmd the answers to the following questions: 1. What forms does international co-operation take in present-day competitive and top-level sport, sports for all and other forms of physica1 culture? What is its histo rica1 background and future? 2.

"In an era of such divisiveness, it behooves all of us to consider means by which we can bring people together."-Mr. Richard Armitage, Former Deputy Secretary of State for the United States of America The growing influence of sport has created a unique opportunity to build international relationships for a number of purposes, including cultural, economic, shared humanitarian, and increasingly, political diplomacy. Case Studies in Sport Diplomacy explores the influence and effectiveness of sport diplomacy in improving long-term relations between nations by opening a dialogue with international leaders, raising awareness of host countries and to bridging cultural differences, and in building international relationships through ambassadors that could increase trade and legislative agreements, and even bring peace to nations in conflict. Authored by talented scholars from all over the world, many of whom served as sport diplomats, their unique perspective in each case sheds light on the ways in which sport diplomacy can succeed or falter in achieving strategic objectives between influential - and in some cases historically adversarial - countries. A thoroughly intriguing look at sport diplomacy's past and ongoing efforts to improve relations with countries such as Brazil, Russia, Iran and China, Case Studies in Sport Diplomacy brings to the forefront an area in which sport has been able to open up and increase opportunities to build relationships between people, communities, governments and countries.

Sport plays a highly significant role in the lives of millions the world over, and yet the impact of this global phenomenon on the subject of international relations hes been neglected. The contributors to this collection argue that sport remains both an underestimated and understudied aspect of international relations, and that the growth of its importance should be seen in the complex interdependencies and global systems of governance. The text examines: * how the expansion of professional sport, and the revenues generated by mass media's links with sport have transformed the international political economy; * how sport contributes to nation building and notions of identity; * how sport is a significant facet of international diplomacy. International sport is far from being peripheral to international relations. This challenging and comprehensive introduction will be of interest to students and all those working in international relations and sport studies.

Although the game of soccer is known by many names around the world—football, fútbol, Fußball, voetbal—the sport is a universal language. Throughout the past century, governments have used soccer to further their diplomatic aims through a range of actions including boycotts, carefully orchestrated displays at matches, and more. In turn, soccer organizations have leveraged their power over membership and tournament decisions to play a role in international relations. In Soccer Diplomacy, an international group of experts analyzes the relationship between soccer and diplomacy. Together, they investigate topics such as the use of soccer as a tool of nation-state–based diplomacy, soccer as a non-state actor, and the relationship between soccer and diplomatic actors in subnational, national, and transnational contexts. They also examine the sport as a conduit for representation, communication, and negotiation. Drawing on a wealth of historical examples, the contributors demonstrate that governments must frequently address soccer as part of their diplomatic affairs. They argue that this single sport—more than the Olympics, other regional multisport competitions, or even any other sport—reveals much about international relations, how states attempt to influence foreign views, and regional power dynamics.

Sport in the Middle East has become a major issue in global affairs. The contributors to this timely volume discuss the intersection of political and cultural processes related to sport in the region. Eleven chapters trace the historical institutionalization of sport and the role it has played in negotiating "Western" culture. Sport is found to be a contested terrain where struggles are being fought over the inclusion of women, over competing definitions of national identity, over preserving social memory, and over press freedom. Also discussed are the implications of mega-sporting events for host countries, and how both elite sport policies and sports industries in the region are being shaped. Sport, Politics and Society in the Middle East draws on academic disciplines from the humanities and social sciences to offer in-depth, theoretically grounded, and richly empirical case studies. It employs diverse research methodologies, from ethnography and in-depth interviews to archival research, to make a lasting contribution to this critical subject.

This book analyzes the place and role of sport within public diplomacy, including theoretical conceptualizations of the category of sports diplomacy as a sub-category of public diplomacy and empirical research of selected examples of the use of sport within public diplomacy. The empirical part of the book refers to three approaches to sports diplomacy and concerns the utilization of sport by states in order to shape relations with other states, the role of sport in building the international image of a state and the diplomatic subjectivity of international sports organizations. In reference to the first two approaches, the book uses comparative case study was in order to make observations and generalizations concerning sports diplomacy. Apart from that, the book includes a detailed study of the diplomatic subjectivity of the International Olympic Committee.

Exploring the role and significance of sport in international politics, this volume discusses issues including the impact of international organizations on domestic sport policy. It focuses on an analysis of the global infrastructure of sport and the significance of international sports events.