The so-called 'Christmas Truce' during the First World War (1914-18) made sport famous for pacify... more The so-called 'Christmas Truce' during the First World War (1914-18) made sport famous for pacifying the opposing sides (Brown and Seaton 1994; Jürgs 2003; Weintraub 2002)-albeit temporarily. Although this episode is often cited as evidence of sport's peace-making ability, the following three anecdotes are, at least, equally impressive and show different facets of the relationship between sport and international politics: The well-known ping-pong diplomacy made an important contribution to an improvement in Sino-American relations in the early 1970s (Carter and Sugden 2012; Hill 1996: 123; Kanin 1978). In 1998, a group of five American wrestlers and the same number of officials visited Iran to participate in the international Takhti Cup tournament. It was the first US delegation to visit Iran since before the Iranian Revolution. Symbolically, one of the most significant moments was the hoisting of the American flag in Tehran. Since 1979, the only images of the Stars and Stripes banner in Iran were those of flags being burned in anti-US demonstrations of animosity and resentment (Goldberg 2000). In spring 2004, the Indian cricket team toured Pakistan for the first time in 15 years. The tour followed a general agreement between the South Asian neighbours on a timetable for peace talks over the disputed province of Kashmir. It was initiated by an 'informal' visit of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to watch a cricket match in India that the previous Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and his Foreign Minister, Natwar Singh, also attended. It was the Indian government's willingness to let the cricketers tour Pakistan that convinced Pakistanis that Delhi's conciliatoriness was sincere and genuine (Bhaskaran 2006). Ping-pong, wrestling and cricket diplomacy show that international sport encounters can be an effective foreign policy tool, and, in particular, a safe and gentle way of improving international relations. This view is widely, and uncritically, supported by high-profile and prominent politicians, sport administrators, the media and even musicians and singers, such as U2's front man Bono (Drezner 2006). Sport's ability to bring about global unity and peace, for example, has also been praised by former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, who has repeatedly emphasised the potential of mega sports events, such as the Olympic Games and the Soccer World Cup, to unite citizens of different nations, 'rebuild fractured relationships. .. break down barriers and challenge stereotypes. .. and overcome the most deep-rooted conflicts' (Anan 2010: 30). Although there is some truth in this statement, this chapter argues that only the systematic and lasting use of sport, both at grassroots and top levels, can make it a powerful diplomatic
Identity Discourses and Communities in International Events, Festivals and Spectacles
In this book series, we defend leisure as a meaningful, theoretical, framing concept; and critica... more In this book series, we defend leisure as a meaningful, theoretical, framing concept; and critical studies of leisure as a worthwhile intellectual and pedagogical activity. This is what makes this book series distinctive: we want to enhance the discipline of leisure studies and open it up to a richer range of ideas; and, conversely, we want sociology, cultural geographies and other social sciences and humanities to open up to engaging with critical and rigorous arguments from leisure studies. Getting beyond concerns about the grand project of leisure, we will use the series to demonstrate that leisure theory is central to understanding wider debates about identity, postmodernity and globalization in contemporary societies across the world. The series combines the search for local, qualitatively rich accounts of everyday leisure with the international reach of debates in politics, leisure and social and cultural theory. In doing this, we will show that critical studies of leisure can and should continue to play a central role in understanding society. The scope will be global, striving to be truly international and truly diverse in the range of authors and topics.
Identity Discourses and Communities in International Events, Festivals and Spectacles, 2015
This edited collection is concerned with international festivals, celebrations and spectacles, as... more This edited collection is concerned with international festivals, celebrations and spectacles, as well as the contributions these events make to our social identities. More precisely, it is about two distinctively different and yet interrelated processes: the construction and presentation of identities. It also explores the intersections of identity and community within various event contexts. The book’s interdisciplinary approach, cross-cultural themes and methodological diversity reflect the complexity of its overriding issue that appears to be en vogue in the realms of everyday discourses, popular culture, journalism and academia. In a nutshell, identity refers to the understanding of individuals in terms of who they are, normally in comparison to others. This ability ‘involves knowing who we are, knowing who others are, them knowing who we are, us knowing who they think we are, and so on’ (Jenkins 2008, p.5). Jenkins also notes that planned events, in particular rites and rituals, play an important role in the formation and development of social identities as they tend to celebrate the essence of an identity and mark the transition from one identity to another. However, this volume is less concerned with small-scale or personal private celebrations that consolidate identity than high-profile, international events, festivals and spectacles.
Identity Discourses and Communities in International Events, Festivals and Spectacles
Germany’s top football division, the Bundesliga, is often praised for reasonable ticket prices, t... more Germany’s top football division, the Bundesliga, is often praised for reasonable ticket prices, the preservation of a passionate fan culture and the high quality of its football stadiums. The Bundesliga clubs are frequently commended for being more inclusive than the equivalent leagues in other European countries and for allowing a notable degree of participatory democracy of local fan communities. However, what these reports tend to ignore is that these qualities are not the result of the benevolence of football clubs and their directors but the out- come of many struggles between different stakeholders, in particularly grass-roots supporters and the football authorities. At the heart of these conflicts are, as this chapter intends to show, usually ownership and identity issues that are interconnected and largely interdependent.
There is little doubt that the globalization process has developed unevenly across time and space... more There is little doubt that the globalization process has developed unevenly across time and space. This is most pronounced in the context of North Korea, one of the very few remaining communist societies, which has been isolated from the rest of the world since the end of the Korean War in 1953. This paper explores the impact of globalization on sport and physical culture in North Korea. Although North Korea categorically rejects globalization, justified by its Juche policy, its response to the globalization of sport is more differentiated, multifaceted, state controlled, and ranges from stubborn resistance to wholehearted embracement. The paper argues that North Korea’s historical trajectory, national needs and interests, and the ethnic nationalism prevalent in that society shape this reaction to globalization.
The International Journal of the History of Sport, 2016
More than six decades after the end of the Korean War (1950-53), the Democratic People's Republic... more More than six decades after the end of the Korean War (1950-53), the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) continue to face each other across the highly fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the 38th parallel on the Korean peninsula. Both Korean governments continue to maintain and reinforce a pan-Korean identity amongst its respective populations. At the same time, both states need to provide its respective citizens with distinct national identities, which obviously requires a politically difficult and highly delicate balancing act. The focus of this paper is on the dominant identity discourses in South Korea. These have been observed, interpreted and analyzed in five international events and festivals that the South hosted over the last three decades: the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the 2002 Soccer World Cup (co-hosted with Japan), the Busan Asian Games in the same year, the 2011 Daegu World Athletic Championships and the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. All these events offered a distinctive nationalist flavour, celebrated tradition and modernity, and emphasized South Korea's rapid 20th century development and achievements, but also served as a reminder of the ethnic homogeneity of the divided Korean people and the unjust political division of the Korean peninsula.
Germany has a remarkable record in World Cup tournaments, having finished as champions on three o... more Germany has a remarkable record in World Cup tournaments, having finished as champions on three occasions (1954 in Switzerland, 1974 in Germany and 1990 in Italy). Germany has also won the European Championships three times, most recently in 1996. German football, at the domestic level, is equally global in its horizons, the Bundesliga (first division) currently has about 100 foreign players, not only from the ‘traditional’ football nations, e.g. Brazil and Argentina, but also from the United States and Iran. The match commentators at any Bundesliga match require specialist linguistic skills (to pronounce names like Akpoborie, Kovacevic, Rydlewicz, Tyskiewicz and Raducioiu) and a detailed understanding of world geography, to explain the origins of players like Duisburg’s Bachirou Salou, who hails from Togo.
The so-called 'Christmas Truce' during the First World War (1914-18) made sport famous for pacify... more The so-called 'Christmas Truce' during the First World War (1914-18) made sport famous for pacifying the opposing sides (Brown and Seaton 1994; Jürgs 2003; Weintraub 2002)-albeit temporarily. Although this episode is often cited as evidence of sport's peace-making ability, the following three anecdotes are, at least, equally impressive and show different facets of the relationship between sport and international politics: The well-known ping-pong diplomacy made an important contribution to an improvement in Sino-American relations in the early 1970s (Carter and Sugden 2012; Hill 1996: 123; Kanin 1978). In 1998, a group of five American wrestlers and the same number of officials visited Iran to participate in the international Takhti Cup tournament. It was the first US delegation to visit Iran since before the Iranian Revolution. Symbolically, one of the most significant moments was the hoisting of the American flag in Tehran. Since 1979, the only images of the Stars and Stripes banner in Iran were those of flags being burned in anti-US demonstrations of animosity and resentment (Goldberg 2000). In spring 2004, the Indian cricket team toured Pakistan for the first time in 15 years. The tour followed a general agreement between the South Asian neighbours on a timetable for peace talks over the disputed province of Kashmir. It was initiated by an 'informal' visit of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to watch a cricket match in India that the previous Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and his Foreign Minister, Natwar Singh, also attended. It was the Indian government's willingness to let the cricketers tour Pakistan that convinced Pakistanis that Delhi's conciliatoriness was sincere and genuine (Bhaskaran 2006). Ping-pong, wrestling and cricket diplomacy show that international sport encounters can be an effective foreign policy tool, and, in particular, a safe and gentle way of improving international relations. This view is widely, and uncritically, supported by high-profile and prominent politicians, sport administrators, the media and even musicians and singers, such as U2's front man Bono (Drezner 2006). Sport's ability to bring about global unity and peace, for example, has also been praised by former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, who has repeatedly emphasised the potential of mega sports events, such as the Olympic Games and the Soccer World Cup, to unite citizens of different nations, 'rebuild fractured relationships. .. break down barriers and challenge stereotypes. .. and overcome the most deep-rooted conflicts' (Anan 2010: 30). Although there is some truth in this statement, this chapter argues that only the systematic and lasting use of sport, both at grassroots and top levels, can make it a powerful diplomatic
Identity Discourses and Communities in International Events, Festivals and Spectacles
In this book series, we defend leisure as a meaningful, theoretical, framing concept; and critica... more In this book series, we defend leisure as a meaningful, theoretical, framing concept; and critical studies of leisure as a worthwhile intellectual and pedagogical activity. This is what makes this book series distinctive: we want to enhance the discipline of leisure studies and open it up to a richer range of ideas; and, conversely, we want sociology, cultural geographies and other social sciences and humanities to open up to engaging with critical and rigorous arguments from leisure studies. Getting beyond concerns about the grand project of leisure, we will use the series to demonstrate that leisure theory is central to understanding wider debates about identity, postmodernity and globalization in contemporary societies across the world. The series combines the search for local, qualitatively rich accounts of everyday leisure with the international reach of debates in politics, leisure and social and cultural theory. In doing this, we will show that critical studies of leisure can and should continue to play a central role in understanding society. The scope will be global, striving to be truly international and truly diverse in the range of authors and topics.
Identity Discourses and Communities in International Events, Festivals and Spectacles, 2015
This edited collection is concerned with international festivals, celebrations and spectacles, as... more This edited collection is concerned with international festivals, celebrations and spectacles, as well as the contributions these events make to our social identities. More precisely, it is about two distinctively different and yet interrelated processes: the construction and presentation of identities. It also explores the intersections of identity and community within various event contexts. The book’s interdisciplinary approach, cross-cultural themes and methodological diversity reflect the complexity of its overriding issue that appears to be en vogue in the realms of everyday discourses, popular culture, journalism and academia. In a nutshell, identity refers to the understanding of individuals in terms of who they are, normally in comparison to others. This ability ‘involves knowing who we are, knowing who others are, them knowing who we are, us knowing who they think we are, and so on’ (Jenkins 2008, p.5). Jenkins also notes that planned events, in particular rites and rituals, play an important role in the formation and development of social identities as they tend to celebrate the essence of an identity and mark the transition from one identity to another. However, this volume is less concerned with small-scale or personal private celebrations that consolidate identity than high-profile, international events, festivals and spectacles.
Identity Discourses and Communities in International Events, Festivals and Spectacles
Germany’s top football division, the Bundesliga, is often praised for reasonable ticket prices, t... more Germany’s top football division, the Bundesliga, is often praised for reasonable ticket prices, the preservation of a passionate fan culture and the high quality of its football stadiums. The Bundesliga clubs are frequently commended for being more inclusive than the equivalent leagues in other European countries and for allowing a notable degree of participatory democracy of local fan communities. However, what these reports tend to ignore is that these qualities are not the result of the benevolence of football clubs and their directors but the out- come of many struggles between different stakeholders, in particularly grass-roots supporters and the football authorities. At the heart of these conflicts are, as this chapter intends to show, usually ownership and identity issues that are interconnected and largely interdependent.
There is little doubt that the globalization process has developed unevenly across time and space... more There is little doubt that the globalization process has developed unevenly across time and space. This is most pronounced in the context of North Korea, one of the very few remaining communist societies, which has been isolated from the rest of the world since the end of the Korean War in 1953. This paper explores the impact of globalization on sport and physical culture in North Korea. Although North Korea categorically rejects globalization, justified by its Juche policy, its response to the globalization of sport is more differentiated, multifaceted, state controlled, and ranges from stubborn resistance to wholehearted embracement. The paper argues that North Korea’s historical trajectory, national needs and interests, and the ethnic nationalism prevalent in that society shape this reaction to globalization.
The International Journal of the History of Sport, 2016
More than six decades after the end of the Korean War (1950-53), the Democratic People's Republic... more More than six decades after the end of the Korean War (1950-53), the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) continue to face each other across the highly fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the 38th parallel on the Korean peninsula. Both Korean governments continue to maintain and reinforce a pan-Korean identity amongst its respective populations. At the same time, both states need to provide its respective citizens with distinct national identities, which obviously requires a politically difficult and highly delicate balancing act. The focus of this paper is on the dominant identity discourses in South Korea. These have been observed, interpreted and analyzed in five international events and festivals that the South hosted over the last three decades: the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the 2002 Soccer World Cup (co-hosted with Japan), the Busan Asian Games in the same year, the 2011 Daegu World Athletic Championships and the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. All these events offered a distinctive nationalist flavour, celebrated tradition and modernity, and emphasized South Korea's rapid 20th century development and achievements, but also served as a reminder of the ethnic homogeneity of the divided Korean people and the unjust political division of the Korean peninsula.
Germany has a remarkable record in World Cup tournaments, having finished as champions on three o... more Germany has a remarkable record in World Cup tournaments, having finished as champions on three occasions (1954 in Switzerland, 1974 in Germany and 1990 in Italy). Germany has also won the European Championships three times, most recently in 1996. German football, at the domestic level, is equally global in its horizons, the Bundesliga (first division) currently has about 100 foreign players, not only from the ‘traditional’ football nations, e.g. Brazil and Argentina, but also from the United States and Iran. The match commentators at any Bundesliga match require specialist linguistic skills (to pronounce names like Akpoborie, Kovacevic, Rydlewicz, Tyskiewicz and Raducioiu) and a detailed understanding of world geography, to explain the origins of players like Duisburg’s Bachirou Salou, who hails from Togo.
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Papers by Udo Merkel