Events and Politics

Introduction; Section I Soft power and propaganda 1 The 1936 Berlin Olympics: Propaganda, spectacle, and the politics of sport; 2 How (should?) the Olympics (intentionally) transform society?; 3 All the Olympics are a stage, and all the athletes merely players: The Olympics as theatre; Section II Sportswashing and rights 4 The Olympic industry: A threat to human rights, a threat to democracy; 5 The World Cup put the spotlight on Qatar, but also brought attention to its human rights record and politics; 6 The Paralympic Games: An event having impact on the world stage but one not without its critics; 7 Sportswashing: Managing state relations and reputations through associations with sport; Section III Diplomacy and peace 8 Playbook for peace? How world events disconnected Putin and set a precedent for isolating autocratic regimes; 9 Russia's misfired sport diplomacy? Or our misunderstanding of the 2014 (Winter Olympics) and 2018 (FIFA World Cup) sports mega-events?; 10 ConIFA events: Organizing international football tournaments for unrecognized nations on divided lands; 11 Ancient ideals, modern problems: Pierre de Coubertin and the Olympic Games; 12 Wimbledon 2022 and the politics of exclusion: Sport, sanctions, and governance in a geopolitical crisis; 13 The politics of film festivals: The case of Dinard's Festival of British Cinema; 14 Global games: A radical proposal for a sustainable future; Section IV Activism and events as platforms for protest 15 The politics of Sydney's gay and lesbian Mardi Gras; 16 Athlete activism and the Olympic movement: Resistance, defiance, and restraint; 17 FIFA World Cup: A mirage of unity; 18 Boycotting the Olympic Games: Effective policy tool or futile gesture?; 19 The Olympics are democratically illegitimate: A call for democracy in sport; 20 Black Lives Matter protests changed the US landscape and who is represented in public spaces; Section V Power, corruption, and elitism 21 The 2022 FIFA World Cup and its potential anti-corruption legacy; 22 Ancient athletic contests and Greek culture; 23 China and sport mega-events: An ongoing project; 24 Fan parks at football mega-events: Prioritizing security and improving the fan experience; 25 Fundamental challenging considerations in hosting sporting mega-events; 26 Ensuring safety and security at sporting events: Lessons from the 2022 Champions League Final in Paris; Section VI Nationalism and historical perspectives 27 Curating a contemporary dance festival in Africa: Sociopolitical insights and provocations from South Africa; 28 How 'The Dragon of Shandon' celebrates people, place, and culture on Halloween; 29 The new Olympics: How Tokyo helped reshape the games; 30 The Australian Open: An event that has grown alongside a nation; 31 Goodbye Commonwealth Games; Conclusions and recommendations