Globalization is effecting a close convergence of sport and foreign policy. In order to respond to novel social, political, cultural and economic pressures, states are increasingly turning to sport as a foreign policy instrument; and they cannot ignore the corresponding influence that global sport has on their core interests. This book is devoted to exploring this relationship in detail. Although any examination of sport and foreign policy inevitably focuses on issues related to both politics and international relations, the primary intention here is to consider the dimensions associated with foreign policy. This book was previously published as a special issue of Sport in Society.

This handbook illustrates the utility of global sport as a lens through which to disentangle the interconnected political, economic, cultural, and social patterns that shape our lives. Drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives, it is organized into three parts. The first part outlines theoretical and conceptual insights from global sport scholarship: from the conceptualization and development of globalization theories, transnationalism and transnational capital, through to mediasport, roving coloniality, and neoliberal doctrine. The second part illustrates the varied flows within global sport and the ways in which these flows are contested, across physical cultures/sport forms, identities, ideologies, media, and economic capital. Diverse topics and cases are covered, such as sport business and the global sport industry, financial fair play, and global mediasport. Finally, the third part explores various aspects of global sport development and governance, incorporating insights from work in the Global South. Across all of these contributions, varied approaches are taken to examine the ‘power of sport’ trope, generating a thought-provoking dialogue for the reader. Featuring an accomplished roster of contributors and wide-ranging coverage of key issues and debates, this handbook will serve as an indispensable resource for scholars and students of contemporary sports studies.

Sport is enjoyed by millions of people across the world, and both watching and playing sport constitutes a major part of modern leisure time. But sport is also a huge worldwide industry. In Globalizing Sport, George Sage invites readers to explore a deeper understanding of the global dynamics of sport - not only competitions but of the big businesses of money, media coverage, athletic apparel and more. He shows how phenomena such as migration, labour, commerce and politics affect the athletes and the fans, continually reshaping the business and experience of sport. Globalizing Sport puts sport in its political, economic and social context, revealing its connections with businesses, countries, media outlets and education systems.

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.

Sociology and history of sport is a fast rising subject. There is a growing interest in issues associated with globalization and sport culture across European and North American boundaries. This book fills an important gap. At the forefront of new areas of research in sport studies, it deals with a significant historical period systematically and, above all, internationally. Brought together in a single volume, this work examines the shaping of sport both by the fascist and communist institutions of Europe during the interwar period. It shows how sport was used as an instrument of propaganda and psychological pressure by major political and sporting nations as well as international movements such as the Catholic Church and the International Worker Sport Movement. This volume will be a key reference for researchers and students in sports history, sports sociology, politics and European studies.

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.