The second event in the Spring 2023 International Seminar Series, The FIFA World Cups of Soccer-Joy and Context, is now open for registration. It will be presented simultaneously in person in the Old Main Room of the Bone Student Center and online through Zoom. The event will be held Wednesday, February 15, from noon-1 p.m. All events in this series are free and open to the public. RSVP is required for in-person attendance.
With the men’s World Cup taking place late last year, and the women’s World Cup coming this summer, the spring semester presents a perfect opportunity to take an in-depth look at how these events are shaping the world stage. International sporting events unite fans from around the globe through shared passion and excitement for the players, teams, and competitions. However, there is a dark undertone of corruption, gender inequality, and human rights and labor violations that surround these events. This series aims to take a comprehensive look at some of these topics and provide a broader context for how these events impact issues beyond the world of sports.
The second event in the series will be “Changing the Game: Sportswashing and the Politicization of Sport in the Modern Era.” The sport management graduate faculty will highlight “sportswashing” and how countries across the globe have used major sporting events to clean up reputations or distract from bad behavior. They will also look at historical examples and how the modern media landscape and commercialism of sport has impacted the phenomenon. The talk will be led by Associate Professor of Sport Management and Sequence Coordinator for the Graduate Sport Management Program Dr. Liz Sattler, Assistant Professor of Sport Management Dr. Jin Park, and Assistant Professor of Sport Management Dr. Eric Kramer from the School of Kinesiology and Recreation.
Upcoming series events
- March 8: “Joy of the Game—How Soccer Opens Doors in Our Community and Around the World”
- March 29: “Labor and Human Rights and the 2022 Soccer World Cup”
- April 19: “Corruption in the World of Soccer”
Those wishing to attend the event in person must register in advance. A free lunch buffet will be provided for in-person participants before the event at 11:45 a.m. CST.
If you cannot attend in person and still want to join, you can do so via this Zoom link. (Advance registration is not necessary for online attendance.)
Anyone with questions, concerns, or regarding any accommodation to participate fully, should contact Emmy Buonomo or call the Office of International Engagement at (309) 438-1651. Allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.
