The focus of this edited book is on the critical, social-scientific analysis of international events, including public, private and voluntary sector festivals and spectacles. By doing so it concentrates on socio-historical, economic, political and cultural themes, in particular the issue of power, power relations and conflicts. This collection of essays will bring the social-scientific study of events, festivals and spectacles more into the core of the teaching of Events Management degree programmes.

Udo Merkel is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Sport and Service Management at the University of Brighton. He is part of the Events Management team and has a keen interest in the social-scientific study of the international events industry. In addition to researching and teaching sociological and political aspects of international sports events, he has published widely in the areas of comparative European studies and football cultures. He is currently preparing a book on the role of international events and festivals as a foreign policy and diplomatic tool.

Contents

PART I

Introduction

1 The critical, social-scientific study of international events: Power, politics and conflicts

UDO MERKEL

PART II

Historical and developmental case studies

2 Regional events and festivals in Europe: Revitalizing traditions and modernizing identities

LOUISA DEVISMES

3 The historical roots of the Gymnaestrada: National gymnastics festivals in nineteenth-century Europe

ANGELA WICHMANN

4 World Expos and global power relations

JAYNE LUSCOMBE

5 A short, selective history of the Gay Games: Conflicts, clashes and controversies

NIGEL JARVIS

PART III

Contemporary case studies and ethnographies

6 Global events and local conflicts: Who owns the streets of London?

ADAM JONES AND JANET WOOLLEY

7 "A Day at the Races": Critical reflections of an insider

STEVEN GOSS-TURNER

8 Arts, acrobatics and athleticism in North Korea: Power, politics and propaganda

UDO MERKEL

9 The World Baseball Classic: The production and politics of a new global sports spectacle

THOMAS F. CARTER

10 Politics as spectacle: U2's 360° tour (2009-2011)

MICHAEL WILLIAMS