Tag: mega-events

This presentation, drawing together the findings of several projects on sport mega-events, human rights, and social movements argues that we are currently witnessing what Neil Stammers’ calls the paradox of institutionalisation with regard to safeguarding human rights at sport mega-events. This paradox explains how the incorporation of policies and procedures related to human rights can result in rights becoming a tool of power, not a challenge to it.

This event, following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, brings together actors working on local and global scale to consider the future of mega-events. In particular, the debate will focus on some of the challenges associated with contemporary mega-events and why change is necessary. We will then move into a discussion of radical solutions for how they should change in the future – including whether such events should continue to exist at all. Finally, we will discuss the role of civil society in pushing for this change and how we can all contribute to developing more sustainable mega-events.

SPRING was formed in 2021 and brings together international scholars in an informal context who wish to share and develop their research interests in the Sport and Politics subject area. The concept grew out of the Sport and Politics Group’s inaugural international conference, hosted by the University of Vic in June 2017, followed by the subsequent publication of an edited volume entitled Sport, Globalisation and Identity, published by Routledge in October 2019, which took its inspiration from the main themes of the conference.

This call encourages submissions from papers exploring public management issues in the empirical context of global sporting mega-events (such as the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup, or Commonwealth Games). Papers may address any aspect of such events, so long as the underlying focus remains on public management and its related theories. The SI thus appeals to the core readership of PMR as well offering novelty to attract a broader audience.

Join online on the 14th Novembe, in the week running up to the Qatar World Cup, to discuss the sustainability of mega-events. Hear from some of the world’s leading researchers on this topic to discuss whether the notion of a sustainable mega-event is an oxymoron, or whether these events can be aligned with sustainable urbanism. Speakers include Professor Martin Muller, Professor Eleni Theodoraki and Dr. Mahfoud Amara, as well as Dr. Rutendo Musikavanhu.

Sport is often positioned as a social good across policy agendas, related to creating or strengthening communities, addressing disadvantage, tackling mental health and addressing physical health and chronic disease. However, sport has also been understood as contributing to, and at times exacerbating inequalities and human rights infringements. In this symposium, we explore the value of a rights-based agenda for the bidding, planning, delivery and legacy of major and mega sport events.

In terms of theoretical and methodological approaches, we welcome qualitative and quantitative research, multidisciplinary studies with an emphasis on history, policy, management, sociology, ethnography or biography studies. The aim of the special issue is to bridge between different disciplines in sport studies, as well as broader media, Middle Eastern, and North African, studies, to name but a few.

This special issue raises such questions as: Is there evidence that hosting a mega-event pushes countries to embrace international standards for workers’ rights and human rights? Does hosting a mega-event help raise living standards or reduce public financial capacity to address pressing social needs? Do mega-events leave behind infrastructure that facilitates productivity growth or merely ‘white elephants’ and diminished social housing?

In order to encourage the contribution of new generations of scholars to the scientific debate, The International Spectator currently welcomes the submission of proposals for THEMATIC SPECIAL CORES of 4-6 articles on the topic of “Sport and International Relations” by teams of young scholars (under 35 years of age), to be considered for publication in the journal. Proposals shall focus on any aspect of the multifaceted relationship between Sport and International Relations.

The rationale for this Special Issue is to contribute to knowledge with a collection of papers on socio-cultural outcomes and impacts as effects of mega-events on host communities from a multidisciplinary perspective. We will explore the methodological and conceptual challenges such work poses, and showcase opportunities and efforts for mitigating the unsustainable aspects of mega-event policies and practices.