{"id":4,"date":"2024-04-04T05:13:03","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T02:13:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/test\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T05:13:09","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T02:13:09","slug":"test","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/test\/","title":{"rendered":"2. Case of Sochi Olympics and the role of mega-events in forming states\u2019 identity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_381\">\r\n\t<span id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_388\" style=\"OpenSans,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;small\"><strong id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_387\">The lecture aims to reach the following goals:<\/strong><\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_383\">\r\n\t<li id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_386\">\r\n\t\t<span id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_385\" style=\"OpenSans,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;small\">explain the concept of state identity and the role of mega-events in forming and promoting identity politics.<\/span>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_382\">\r\n\t\t<span id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_384\" style=\"OpenSans,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;small\">analyse the opening ceremony of the Sochi Olympic Games by applying the identity politics framework, and understanding Russia\u2019s expectations from the games.<\/span>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_389\">\r\n\t<span id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1562655597208_390\" style=\"OpenSans,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;small\">To successfully pass the weekly assignment students need to watch the video lecture, read the compulsory material and complete the second self-test.<\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>\r\n\t<\/p><div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9 mb-3\"><div class=\"video-placeholder-wrapper video-placeholder-wrapper--16x9\">\n\t\t\t    <div class=\"video-placeholder d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t        <div class=\"overlay text-white p-2 w-100 text-center d-block justify-content-center align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t            <div>Kolmandate osapoolte sisu n\u00e4gemiseks palun n\u00f5ustu k\u00fcpsistega.<\/div>\n\t\t\t            <button class=\"btn btn-secondary btn-sm mt-1 consent-change\">Muuda n\u00f5usolekut<\/button>\n\t\t\t        <\/div>\n\t\t\t    <\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-865fddc8-7fff-dc33-4589-99614a000afe\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">In the previous lecture we looked at the main implications and results of the Vilnius Summit. In this section, we are going to shift to the next event, which made an impact on the dynamics of EU-Russia relations \u2013 the <strong>Sochi Olympics<\/strong>. Sochi Games represent a relevant case to talk about both the state of EU-Russia relations and the issue of state-identity through the lens of mega-events. In this respect,<strong> state identity<\/strong> could be defined in a number of different ways: as \u2018the set of beliefs about the nature and purpose of the state expressed in public articulations of state actions and ideals\u2019. Or in other words, it could be defined as a state\u2019s rights, obligations, and responsibilities on the international arena (<\/span><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-fb71aba3-7fff-a456-79d4-adf8825207b0\">Lynch, 1999). <\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-ec2a6c89-7fff-0887-75fc-4698c8fac052\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">The Sochi Olympic Games were labelled the most controversial games in history even before the start of the opening ceremony. The political context before the games and the Maidan revolution, which led to the worsening of EU-Russia relations and condemnation of the games by many European state officials, highly escalated the environment around the Olympics.\u00a0 <\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-9aedf564-7fff-4a6f-73b0-0c70f2bb55f9\">\r\n\tSome of the <strong>reasons<\/strong> for states to host mega-events is related to the fact that they help states to promote different ideas and images of their state-identity (Black, 2007):\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul dir=\"ltr\">\r\n\t<li style=\"line-height: 1.4;margin-top: 0pt;margin-bottom: 0pt;text-align: justify\">\r\n\t\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">firstly, by hosting international sporting events, states can show the world that they are <strong>guardians of universal norms<\/strong> and, in so doing, can construct attraction by illuminating truths such as fair play that has universal appeal; <\/span>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"line-height: 1.4;margin-top: 0pt;margin-bottom: 0pt;text-align: justify\">\r\n\t\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">secondly, staging sports mega-events potentially provides emerging powers with opportunities to <strong>generate attraction<\/strong> even where they possess unattractive domestic political characteristics by<strong> projecting soft power <\/strong>and showcasing their<strong> world-class achievements<\/strong>; <\/span>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"line-height: 1.4;margin-top: 0pt;margin-bottom: 0pt;text-align: justify\">\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-8a5724f3-7fff-29ec-572b-7435490c06ff\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\t\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">thirdly, it could be argued that in order to experience nationality, one needs exceptional events, celebrations, rituals and ceremonies.\u00a0 In this respect, mega-events are regarded as one of the main vehicles for constructing and maintaining an <strong>idea of national unity<\/strong>;<\/span>\r\n\t\t<\/p>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"line-height: 1.4;margin-top: 0pt;margin-bottom: 0pt;text-align: justify\">\r\n\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-bc05349c-7fff-643d-8fac-22062b7ae90a\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\t\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">finally, sport mega-events provide a chance to <strong>signal important changes of direction, reframe dominant narratives<\/strong> about the host, and\/or reinforce key messages of change in the host country.<\/span>\r\n\t\t<\/p>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">When looking at the highlights from the Sochi Olympic Games opening ceremony, we could argue that some of the strategic aims behind hosting the games were:<\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"margin-top: 0pt;margin-bottom: 0pt\">\r\n\t<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"Sans\">\r\n\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\t\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">creating a <strong>new image<\/strong> of Russia<\/span>\r\n\t\t<\/p>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"Sans\">\r\n\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\t\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\">raising Russia\u2019s <strong>international status<\/strong><\/span>\r\n\t\t<\/p>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"Sans\">\r\n\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\t\t<span style=\"NewRoman';color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline\"><strong>connecting <\/strong>Russia\u2019s people<\/span>\r\n\t\t<\/p>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"Sans;line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"Sans;line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\tIn the video lecture, we further discuss how and why certain elements of Russia\u2019s state identity were <span>portrayed <\/span> during the opening ceremony and what further implications the games played in Russia\u2019s approach to brand itself to the world audience.\u00a0 \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"Sans;line-height:1.4000000000000001;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify\">\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\r\n\t<strong>References:<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul dir=\"ltr\">\r\n\t<li style=\"line-height: 1.4;margin-top: 0pt;margin-bottom: 0pt;text-align: justify\">\r\n\t\t<span id=\"docs-internal-guid-fb71aba3-7fff-a456-79d4-adf8825207b0\">Lynch, M (1999).\u00a0 \u2018Abandoning Iraq: Jordan\u2019s Alliances and the Politics of State Identity\u2019, <\/span><span>Security Studies 8.2-3 (1999): 349. <\/span>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"line-height: 1.4;margin-top: 0pt;margin-bottom: 0pt;text-align: justify\">\r\n\t\t<span>Black, D. (2007). <\/span>The Symbolic Politics of Sport Mega-Events: 2010 in Comparative Perspective. Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies, 34:3, 261-276.\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>\r\n\t<strong>Reading material:<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"yui_3_15_0_3_1453556986141_589\" style=\"margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-left:30px;color:#444444;14px;line-height:21px;background-color:#fefefe\">\r\n\t<li>\r\n\t\t<span style=\"color:#000000\">Jon Grix, Donna Lee.\u00a0<i>Soft power, sport mega-events and emerging states: the Lure of politics and attraction.<\/i>\u00a0CRP working paper series. September 2013. <\/span>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li>\r\n\t\t<span style=\"color:#000000\">Dmitry Gorenburg.\u00a0<i>The Sochi Olympics and Russian National Identity.<\/i>\u00a0PONARS Eurasia, policy memo No. 316, April 2014.<\/span>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n\t<li>\r\n\t\t<span style=\"color:#000000\">Stephen Hutchings, Marie Gillespie and others.\u00a0<i>Staging the Sochi winter Olympics 2014 on Russia Today and BBC World News: from soft power to geopolitical crisis<\/i>. Journal of Audience &amp; reception studies. Volume 12 Issue 1. May 2015.<\/span>\r\n\t<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<br><div class=\"wp-block-group attached-files-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/364\/1._o_soft_power_sport_mega-events_and_emerging_states_the_lure_of_politics_and_attraction.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1._o_soft_power_sport_mega-events_and_emerging_states_the_lure_of_politics_and_attraction.pdf<\/a><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/364\/2._o_the_sochi_olympics_and_russian_national_identity.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2._o_the_sochi_olympics_and_russian_national_identity.pdf<\/a><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/364\/3._o_staging_the_sochi_winter_olympics_2014_on_russia_today_and_bbc_world_news.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3._o_staging_the_sochi_winter_olympics_2014_on_russia_today_and_bbc_world_news.pdf<\/a><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The lecture aims to reach the following goals: explain the concept of state identity and the role of mega-events in forming and promoting identity politics. analyse the opening ceremony of the Sochi Olympic Games by applying the identity politics framework, &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":188,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/188"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4\/revisions\/62"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eurus1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}