Understanding the Olympics

<P>How did the Olympics evolve into a multi-national phenomenon? How can the Olympics help us to understand the relationship between sport and society? What will be the impact and legacy of the Olympics after Tokyo in 2020? <EM>Understanding the Olympics</EM> answers all these questions by exploring the social, cultural, political, historical, and economic context of the Games. </P><P>This thoroughly revised and updated edition discusses recent attempts at future proofing by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the face of growing global anti-Olympic activism, the changing geo-political context within which the Olympics take place, and the Olympic histories of the next three cities to host the Games – Tokyo (2020), Paris (2024), and Los Angeles (2028) – as well as the legacy of the London (2012) Olympics. For the first time, this new edition introduces the reader to the emergence of ‘other Games’ associated with the IOC – the Winter Olympics, the Paralympics, and the Youth Olympics. It also features a full Olympic history timeline, many new photographs, refreshed suggestions for further reading, and revised illustrations. </P><P>The most up-to-date and authoritative textbook available on the Olympic Games, <EM>Understanding the Olympics</EM> is essential reading for anybody with an interest in the Olympics or the wider relationship between sport and society.</P>