The integration of refugees, conflict resolution, human rights, emancipation and the fight against racism – these are just some of the areas where sport can have a positive role to play. To what extent can global sport act as a strategic instrument of cultural diplomacy and a role model for civil society? Can it help to achieve development policy goals? Does it still make any sense to use mega sports events for the purposes of nation branding? And what can we as normal citizens learn from an extreme mountaineer? These and other questions are addressed in the Culture Report and EUNIC Yearbook 2016 by authors as diverse as Umberto Eco, Reinhold Messner, Dave Eggers, Serhij Zhadan, Beqë Cufaj and Claus Leggewie.
FOREWORD
ore than a game – The global language of sport. By Sebastian Körber
CHAPTERr 1: A GLOBAL CONVERSATION – SPORT, CULTURE AND FOREIGN POLICY
A tool for cultural relations. By Grant Jarvie
The politics of sport. By Jonathan Grix
An expanded space for communication. By Claus Leggewie
A matter of governance. By Cora Burnett
A form of social capital. By Joseph Maguire
A love affair with dictators. By Marianne Meier
‘The Enterprise’. By Frank Vogl
An arena for nationalist sentiments. By Bernd Reiter
Ping-pong and cricket diplomacy. By Karl-Heinz Schneider
Strong girls – strong communities. By Heather Cameron
Can gold medals increase a country’s prestige? By Jan Haut
The rules of the global game. By Ladislau Dowbor
CHAPTER 2: SPORT AROUND THE WORLD – EMANCIPATION, FAIR PLAY OR CURSE?
Sport is also war. By Beqë Cufaj
Ukraine goes into extra time. By Serhij Zhadan
Sport for communists. By Dave Eggers
The taxpayers' burden and dribbling prejudices. By Julia Haß
A healthy old age. By Yongxian Li
A symbol of Spain’s internal battles. By Julian Rieck
Building a nation, destroying a nation? By Dario Brentin
Swede of the year. By Anders Ravn Sørensen
CHAPTER 3: THE HAND OF GOD OR PART OF OUR DNA? SPORT IS MORE THAN A CULTURAL PHENOMENON
A force for emancipation and discrimination. By Andrei S. Markovits
Sport is man, sport is society. By Umberto Eco
A stage for protests. By Jürgen Mittag
Significance in action. By Thomas Alkemeyer
Zest for life, creativity and less is more. By Reinhold Messner
CHAPTER 4: EUNIC AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES FOR CULTURE – PROMOTING TRUST AND UNDERSTANDING WORLDWIDE
EUNIC – The first ten years. By Andrew Murray
Who we are and what we do – An overview of EUNIC members
EUNIC – The next ten years. By Rafael Rodríguez-Ponga
