Countries at Play: The Olympics, Nationalism and Universal Humanity

The Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics has just passed into history, leaving many questions about how much people in different countries watched and their level of support for a national team.

Professor David Rowe of the University of Western Sydney’s Institute for Culture and Society is joining with fellow researchers in Bulgaria, China, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and the United States in exploring the connections between the Olympics and nationalism.

“When the Olympics were revived in 1896 they were officially designed as a vehicle for international understanding, and open displays of nationalism were frowned upon. But many people continue to think of them in national terms rather than as a universal celebration of sport, youth and friendship,” says Professor Rowe.

“The International Olympic Committee has always opposed the construction of medal tables, but this position has been to no avail, and national tallies appear in all media and are constantly updated. At the same time, the Olympics encourage cosmopolitan exchanges between people from very different cultures and so foster a sense of global citizenship, while the strength of sporting nationalism and the profile of the Olympics is likely to vary between countries.”

In addressing these issues surrounding nationalism and the Olympics, Professor Rowe is conducting the Australian component of the six-nation study. He is looking for people who are willing to complete a short, 20 minute, anonymous web survey concerning their Olympic media consumption and attitudes towards the Olympics and nationalism.

“Participating in this survey will not be onerous, and will enable people to reflect on the relationship between the Olympics and nationalism,” says Professor Rowe.

“We will circulate the results in the media and in the academic literature as a research-based contribution to public debate about the significance of this festival of sport, media, national identity and global dialogue.”

Ends 

13 August 2012

Contact: Mark Smith, Media Officer