The Politics of Sports Mega-Events: The PyeongChang Olympics, Sports Diplomacy, and Media Spectacle

In the midst of a Winter Olympics Games where South Korea is providing a platform for the most talented athletes, it is the politics that has been meddling in the aura of the pure sporting spectacle. From doping to diplomacy, the nation states engaging with PyeongChang have as tough a battle off the arena as on it. This round-table discussion brings together scholars of East Asian, diplomatic, media and Olympic expertise to discuss the ongoing situation. Especially as beyond PyeongChang the Olympic and Paralympic Games are heading to Tokyo for the summer edition in 2020 and the winter edition in Beijing 2022.

Speakers:

Jaeho Kang

Senior Lecturer in Critical Media and Cultural Studies, SOAS. Kang has been working on the sports mega-events in East Asia with particular reference to the media spectacle and the formation of national identity.

Simon Rofe

Inaugural director of CISD's Global Diplomacy Masters programme (Distance Learning). Currently, teaches on Sport and Diplomacy: "More than a Game". Research interests lie in diplomacy of international sports.

Verity Postlethwaite

Teaching Fellow, CISD - is exploring how legacy and policy interacted during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Ongoing research more generally about governance and diplomacy of global sporting spectacles.