JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY COURSE CODE: "PL 367H" COURSE NAME: "Global Politics and Sports (This is an honors course and carries 4 semester hours of credit; NB: Minimum 3.5 CUM GPA required)" SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2014

SYLLABUS INSTRUCTOR: Lars Rensmann EMAIL: [email protected] HOURS: TTH 10:00 AM 11:15 AM TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45 CREDITS: 3 PREREQUISITES: OFFICE HOURS: Wed 2-3:30pm, and by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This upper-level course will introduce students to the fascinating interactions between global politics and the world of sports. It provides an introduction to central issues and conflicts of modern global politics through the lens of globalized sports and addresses the role of the latter in international relations, comparative, and domestic politics. Employing theoretical and empirical models, the class examines how sports, politics and culture influence and permeate each other in a “partially globalized world” (Robert Keohane).

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT: The course provides, first, a theoretical framework and different methodological approaches to the study of global politics and sports, and to the role of sports in different political systems. Second, the course explores the institutions of global and international governance shaping sports and sports policy, and their historical evolution. Third, we examine various dimensions and areas in which sports and global politics intersect. Topics include sports as a factor in the political sociology of modernity and “globalization;” global sport events as soft power tools of global politics and international diplomacy; global sports, local conflicts, and human rights; global sports and the global/European public sphere; sports, ‘glocalization,’ and the politics of national and cosmopolitan identity; global sports, race, and gender; the international political economy of sports. Fourth, the course addresses and engenders the comparative empirical analysis of sports and politics in different (autocratic, semi-democratic and democratic) societies. Fifth and finally, different aspects of global policy-making and global sports policy will be explored.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course exposes students to a long marginalized but increasingly popular field of political science and international relations that has almost exponentially grown in recent years. In so doing, students learn about the history of sports’ globalization in modernity; international political institutions and organizations, from the UN to the European Union, and institutions of global sports governance such as FIFA, UEFA and the IOC; the relationship between local and global identities, and the role sports play in forging them; aspects of the international political economy of sports and the relationship between sports and the emergence of international human rights, as well as global public policymaking intersecting or dealing with sports. Students will also explore national cases of sports culture and politics (from American exceptionalism to issues of power, glory and corruption in Italian soccer politics), and learn to develop a cross-national comparative perspective that understands both the politics of localism and of globalism. This comparative analysis entails a look at the ‘darkest’ sides of international sports: the role of racism, aggressive nationalism, and violence in the sports world. Finally, the course will examine the role of sports in shaping autocracies and democracies, and the place of sports in global public policy and world politics at large.

TEXTBOOK: NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING: NONE RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING: NONE

GRADING POLICY -ASSESSMENT METHODS: Assignment Guidelines Weight In-class midterm exam, questions and written answers 8 questions applying scholarly knowledge 20% Final exam, questions and written answers 8 questions applying scholarly knowledge 20% Two reading reflections Critical reflections on required readings, 1-2 pages each 20% Research/term paper, 13-15 pages Independent research paper addressing a specific research problem, based on draft versions, carries extra work, research, and length as Honors Course 30% Participation & oral presentation Active participation, demonstrated critical reading of course material, short oral presentation 10% -ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course. BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments. CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings. DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail. FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant. -ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS: Attendance is mandatory. Since the class discussions comprise an absolutely essential component of this course, course attendance is compulsory; the grade for your active participation will comprise 10 percent of the final grade. In order to make participation a meaningful experience for everyone, and most importantly for you, you will have to read assigned materials before class sessions and participate in class discussions. Please refer to the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.

ACADEMIC HONESTY As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Syllabus: Readings and Topics INTRODUCTION September 2: Introduction to the Course: Why Sports Matter in the World of Power and Politics Introductory Lecture & Course Organization PART I: FRAMING THE STUDY OF GLOBAL POLITICS AND SPORTS: THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL APPROACHES September 4: The Power of Sports in Shaping Global Politics, Cultures & Identities Readings: Andrei S. Markovits & Lars Rensmann, Gaming the World: How Sports are Reshaping Global Politics and Culture (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010), Chapter 1. September 9: The Political Sociology of Modernity, “Glocalization,” and Global Politics Readings: Catherine Palmer, “Social Theory, Globalization and Sports Policy in a Risk Society,” in Catherine Palmer, Global Sports Policy (London: Sage, 2013), pp.77-100;  Andrei S. Markovits & Lars Rensmann, Gaming the World: How Sports are Reshaping Global Politics and Culture (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010), Chapter 2. September 11: Global Power & the Second Globalization of Sports: The Evolution of Global Games from China to Qatar Readings: Markovits & Rensmann,  Gaming the World, Ch.2 continued; Richard Giulianotti & Roland Robertson, Globalization and Football (London: Sage, 2009) [excerpts] September 16: Sports and Soccer as Global Hegemonic Culture Readings: Markovits & Rensmann,  Gaming the World, Ch.3 September 18: The Role of Sports in International Relations and Global Public Opinion Readings: James Stimson, Michael B. MacKuen, Robert S. Erikson, “Opinion and Policy: A Global View,” PS: Political Science and Politics 27, 1 (1994): 29-35; Brian R. Sala, John T. Scott and James F. Spriggs, “The Cold War on Ice: Constructivism and the Politics of Olympic Figure Skating Judging,” Perspectives on Politics 5, 1 (2007): 17-29. September 23: Sports, IR and Soft Power Readings: Lincoln Allison & Terry Monnington, “Sport, Prestige and International Relations,” in Lincoln Allison, ed.,  The Global Politics of Sport (New York: Routlege, 2005), pp. 5-23; Joseph S. Nye, Jr., “Public Diplomacy and Soft Power,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 616, Public Diplomacy in a Changing World (March, 2008), pp. 94-109. PART II:  SPORTS AND GLOBAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS September 25: Global Sports, International Organizations, and Institutions of Global Governance Readings: Catherine Palmer, “Globalization and the Governance of Sports Policy,” in Catherine Palmer, Global Sports Policy (London: Sage, 2013), pp.39-57. September 30: Sports and International Institutions: Contested Authorities--FIFA, IOC, UEFA and others Readings: Toby Miller, Geoffrey Lawrence, Jim McKay, David Rowe, “Citizens of the World: The Governance of Sport,” in Toby Miller, Geoffrey Lawrence, Jim McKay, David Rowe, Globalization and Sport (London: Sage, 2001), pp.95-125; IOC, “Olympic Charter.” October 2: Sports and the European Union Readings: Anthony King, The European Ritual: Football in the New Europe (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003), ch.7&8. PART III: ARENAS, DIMENSIONS, AND CONFLICTS OF GLOBAL POLITICS AND SPORTS October 7: Global Players, the Sports Industry, and International Political Economy of Sports Simon Kuper & Stefan Szymanski, Soccernomics: (New York: Nation Books, 2009) [excerpts]; David L. Andrews, Ben Carrington, Steven J. Jackson, and Zbigniew Mazur, “Jordanscapes: A Preliminary Analysis of the Global Popular,” Sociology of Sport Journal 13, 1996, pp. 428–57. October 9: Global Sports Politics and International Human Rights Readings: Richard Giulianotti, “Human Rights, Globalization and Sentimental Education: The Case of Sports,” in Richard Giulianotti & David McArdle, eds., Sport, Civil Liberties and Human Rights (New York: Routledge, 2008), 63-77; Catherine Palmer, “Mega-events, Sports Policy and Human Rights,” in Catherine Palmer, Global Sports Policy (London: Sage, 2013), pp.144-160. October 14: Conflict & Political Development: Local Conflicts and Conciliation in/through African Soccer Readings: Gary Armstrong & Richard Giulianotti, eds., Football in Africa: Conflict, Conciliation and Community (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004) [excerpts] October 16: Global Sports and International Diplomacy in Conflict Environments Readings: Ryan Robertson, “Sports Diplomacy in a Conflict Environment: The Case for Continued Efforts in Afghanistan,” Exchange: The Journal of Public Diplomacy, 3: 1 (2012). PART IV: GLOBAL POLITICS, SOFT POWER, AND GLOBAL SPORTS EVENTS October 21: Global Sports and Sports Events as Soft Power Tools Readings: Jon Grix & Donna Lee, “Soft Power, Sports Mega-Events and Emerging States: The Lure of the Politics of Attraction,” University of Cambridge Centre for Rising Powers Working Papers (Cambridge, September 2013); Catherine Palmer, “Globalization, Sports Policy and Sporting Events,” in Catherine Palmer, Global Sports Policy (London: Sage, 2013), pp.103-123; October 23: Global Sports and Sports Events as Soft Power Tools: The Olympics Readings: Alan Tomlinson, “Olympic Survivals,” in Lincoln Allison, ed.,  The Global Politics of Sport (New York: Routlege, 2005), pp.42-56; Daniel Golebiewski, “Intercultural Communication and Transnational Protests at the Olympics,” E-International Relations 3, 2013. October 28: Global Sports and Sports Events as Soft Power Tools: The World Cup Readings: Paul Michael Brannagan and Jonathan Grix, “Qatar’s Soft Power Gamble: The 2022 World Cup.”  E-International Relations, January 2014: S. Cornelissen & K.Swart, “The 2010 World Cup as a Political Construct,” in D. Horne & D. Manzenreiter, eds., Sports Mega-Events: Social Scientific Analyses of a Global Phenomenon (Oxford: Blackwell, 2006), pp.109-123. October 30: The World Cup and Global Conflict: Epitomizing the Politics of Global Pacification or the Politics of Nationalism? Readings: TBD. RESEARCH PAPER TOPICS/ASSIGNMENT TO BE HANDED OUT. PART V: SPORTS, NATIONALISM, RACISM, AND GENDER: COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES November 4: Racism in Hegemonic Global Sports Cultures Readings: Daniel Buffinton and Todd Fraley, “Skill in Black and White: Negotiating Media Images of Race in a Sporting Context,” Journal of Communication Inquiry 32 (2012): 292-310. November 6:  Nationalism, Racism and Violence in European Sports Cultures: Western and Eastern Europe Readings: Markovits & Rensmann,  Gaming the World, Ch.5. November 11: National Identity, Racism, and Sport in the United States Alan Bairner, “Isolation or Expansion? Nationalism and Sport in the United States,” in Bairner, Sport, Nationalism, and Globalization: European and North American Perspectives (Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 2001), pp.91-114; Lane Demas, Integrating the Gridiron: Black Civil Rights and American College Football (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2011) [excerpts]. November 13: Sports, Gender & the Feminization of Global Sports Cultures Markovits & Rensmann,  Gaming the World, Ch.4. PART VI: SPORTS, POLITICS, AND “GLOCALIZED” IDENTITIES: IMPACT, CLEAVAGES, AND CONFLICTS IN DEMOCRATIC AND AUTHORITARIAN SOCIETIES November 18: Global, National and Local Identities and Political Power: The Case of Italian Soccer John Foot, Winning at all Costs: A Scandalous History of Italian Soccer (New York: Nation Books, 2007), ch.13 “Power and Politics,” & Final chapter: “The Great Italian Football Scandal and the World Cup Triumph.” November 20: American Democracy, Sports Nativism, and American Exceptionalism: The Politics and Trajectory of American College Sports vs. Eton Amateurism Markovits & Rensmann,  Gaming the World, Ch.6; John S. Watterson, “Political Football: Theodor Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and the Gridiron Reform Movement,” Presidential Studies Quarterly 25 (1995): 555-564. November 25: Sports and Politics in Autocratic and Conflict Societies: Soccer in Iran and Iraq James Montague, When Friday Comes: Football in the War Zone (London: Mainstream, 2008) [excerpts] December 2: Sports and Politics in Semi-Democratic Societies: The Case of Sports Politics in Russia Readings: TBD. PART VII: SPORTS, GLOBAL PUBLIC POLICY AND GLOBAL POLITICS: PRESENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES December 4: Wrapping Up: The Power of Sports (and its Limits) in Global Politics Revisited & the Future of Global Sports Policy Final Lecture and Discussion. Readings: Catherine Palmer, “Reflections on Global Sports Policy,” in Catherine Palmer, Global Sports Policy (London: Sage, 2013), pp.183-190. RESEARCH PAPER DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS PERIOD December 6-12 FINAL EXAM (Look for Announcements)