Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Sport and International Assistance -- Conference paper (proposal)
[NB This format might look odd, this is what the organisers requested. The Conference is to take place in September in Newcastle/Gateshead, and is organised by the European Association of Sports Management]
New Boundaries for International Assistance: Sport aid in international development
Dr. Aaron Beacom
College of St. Mark and St. John
Context
As sport moves up the domestic and international political agenda, assistance with sport and recreation development is becoming established as part of the international aid portfolio. The characteristics of such aid packages provide valuable insights into the evolving relationship between sports organisations and states as well as the evolution of development aid as an aspect of diplomatic discourse. More established programmes such as ‘Olympic Solidarity’, enhance the capacity of sports International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) to actively engage in international relations. Such programmes focus on the needs of elite athletes in developing countries, with aspirations to engage in international competition. In this respect, such assistance provides the dual role of contributing to the international sporting infrastructure necessary for the development of international competition, as well as providing support for individuals and groups within the recipient state. Alongside such elite athlete support, the inclusion of sport and recreation programmes in community development projects, provide a vehicle for individual and communal rehabilitation and reconciliation. This is particularly the case in relation to aid for the disabled in post-conflict situations. Through assessing the growing use of sport in a range of aid contexts, the paper will contribute to the general discussion on the evolution of international development assistance. This will in turn, provide an indication of changing perceptions of the role of sport in international society.
Methods
Extended interviews have already been carried out with practitioners in two international development assistance NGOs and further interviews are planned. In addition to this, the investigation through use of primary and secondary sources, will focus on government departments and related bodies whose work is likely to impact on development assistance and international sport. This includes in particular, the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) as well as the British Council, British Trade International and UK Sport. Primary research is required in relation to the international development work of sports NGOs. At international level this will relate to the portfolio of ‘Olympic Solidarity’ and the development assistance initiatives of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation. The theoretical underpinning for the paper rests with International Relations theory. In this sense, the central theme relates to the evolving capacity of sports NGOs to influence other actors and outcomes in international society.
The paper begins by providing an overview of the changing nature of aid in international society. This assessment is carried out through reference to the actors, governmental and non-governmental, engaged in aid. It considers shifts in the relative influence of these actors and in how they relate to each other. Against this background, the introduction of sport into the arena of international development assistance is considered. The nature of sport aid is then assessed in detail. It is presented in two broad categories. The first category, development assistance with elite international sport, focuses on the work of international sports NGOs, in terms of capacity building of the sports infrastructure within recipient states. This includes evolving assistance programmes of the IPC as a dimension of the general ‘mainstreaming’ of the Paralympic Games. This section concludes by considering the engagement of governments in supporting international development assistance for elite sport. Reference is made to the diplomatic dimension of such activity. This is brought sharply into focus through initiatives such as those launched by the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for the development of sport in Iraq in the wake of the 2003 invasion. The work of such organisations in the context of the development of international disability sport is also noted. The second category, sport and recreation within wider aid packages, will consider ways in which initiatives using physical activity can be instrumental at community and individual level, in facilitating rehabilitation and reconciliation in post-conflict situations. The relationship between disability sport and the consequences of warfare is discussed. With a clear historical link back to Guttman’s post WWII therapies for disabled servicemen and the experiences in developing rehabilitation programmes for Vietnam veterans, attention is drawn to more recent conflicts in the developing world and the urgent need for international aid to support the individuals and communities. The Cambodian experience with high numbers of disabling injuries from anti-personnel mines is a particular focus of attention. Rehabilitation programmes here, have involved the use of planned recreation to assist the process of both adapting to physical capacity and in social re-integration.
Results
One of the key challenges to securing additional support for sport in the domestic arena, is providing sufficient evidence to demonstrate its capacity to influence behaviour, enhance performance and improve quality of life. In some respects, a similar challenge exists in relation to international development assistance for sport. Alongside a consideration of ways of identifying the tangible benefits of such assistance to individuals and communities, the paper contributes to discussion on the changing nature of international development assistance. It also provides valuable insights into the evolving role of sports NGOs in the domestic and international political arena.
Discussion / implications
A range of issues emerge from the paper, that have implications on the aspirations and capacity of sports organisations to engage as independent actors in the international arena, as well as their evolving relationship with state institutions. More fundamentally, questions arise about the nature and scope of international development assistance as an aspect of international diplomacy. Key issues for discussion are:
• Within the context of sports governance, how are the relationships between governmental and non-governmental organisations evolving?
• How can we reconcile the apparent contradiction when governments who traditionally take an ‘arms length’ approach to the governance of sport, actively engage in support for international development assistance through sport?
• What role can ‘private’ organisations such as equipment manufacturers, play in international development assistance and what does this indicate about the changing nature of the private sector in contemporary society?
• What are the precedents for international development assistance in elite sport and what value has this for the general development of sport?
• Given the increasing requirement of sports federations to develop inclusive strategies, what link exists between engagement in international development assistance and domestic sports development considerations?
References (sample)
Doll-Tepper et. al. New Horizons in Sport for Athletes with a Disability – Proceedings of the International Vista 1999 Conference, Oxford, Meyer & Meyer Sport.
Rains C. ‘The Forgotten Athletes – A Critical Appraisal of IPC Sports Competition of World and Paralympic Levels’ in; (p.p. 493-497)
Higgs C. ‘Making a Difference: Using Sport and Recreation in the Guyana Project for People with Disabilities’, , (p.p. 799-813)
Burnell P. (1997) Foreign Aid in a Changing World, Open University Press, Buckingham.
Smillie I. et al (eds) (1999) Stakeholders: Government-NGO partnerships for International Development, Earthscan, London.
Halloran-Lumsdaine D. (1993) Moral Vision in International Politics: The Foreign Aid Regime, 1949 – 1989, Princeton University Press, Princeton.
Killick T. (1998) Aid and the Political Economy of Policy Change, Routledge, London.
Brown C. (1997) Understanding International Relations, MacMillan Press, Basingstoke.
Aaron Beacom
New Boundaries for International Assistance: Sport aid in international development
Dr. Aaron Beacom
College of St. Mark and St. John
Context
As sport moves up the domestic and international political agenda, assistance with sport and recreation development is becoming established as part of the international aid portfolio. The characteristics of such aid packages provide valuable insights into the evolving relationship between sports organisations and states as well as the evolution of development aid as an aspect of diplomatic discourse. More established programmes such as ‘Olympic Solidarity’, enhance the capacity of sports International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) to actively engage in international relations. Such programmes focus on the needs of elite athletes in developing countries, with aspirations to engage in international competition. In this respect, such assistance provides the dual role of contributing to the international sporting infrastructure necessary for the development of international competition, as well as providing support for individuals and groups within the recipient state. Alongside such elite athlete support, the inclusion of sport and recreation programmes in community development projects, provide a vehicle for individual and communal rehabilitation and reconciliation. This is particularly the case in relation to aid for the disabled in post-conflict situations. Through assessing the growing use of sport in a range of aid contexts, the paper will contribute to the general discussion on the evolution of international development assistance. This will in turn, provide an indication of changing perceptions of the role of sport in international society.
Methods
Extended interviews have already been carried out with practitioners in two international development assistance NGOs and further interviews are planned. In addition to this, the investigation through use of primary and secondary sources, will focus on government departments and related bodies whose work is likely to impact on development assistance and international sport. This includes in particular, the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) as well as the British Council, British Trade International and UK Sport. Primary research is required in relation to the international development work of sports NGOs. At international level this will relate to the portfolio of ‘Olympic Solidarity’ and the development assistance initiatives of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation. The theoretical underpinning for the paper rests with International Relations theory. In this sense, the central theme relates to the evolving capacity of sports NGOs to influence other actors and outcomes in international society.
The paper begins by providing an overview of the changing nature of aid in international society. This assessment is carried out through reference to the actors, governmental and non-governmental, engaged in aid. It considers shifts in the relative influence of these actors and in how they relate to each other. Against this background, the introduction of sport into the arena of international development assistance is considered. The nature of sport aid is then assessed in detail. It is presented in two broad categories. The first category, development assistance with elite international sport, focuses on the work of international sports NGOs, in terms of capacity building of the sports infrastructure within recipient states. This includes evolving assistance programmes of the IPC as a dimension of the general ‘mainstreaming’ of the Paralympic Games. This section concludes by considering the engagement of governments in supporting international development assistance for elite sport. Reference is made to the diplomatic dimension of such activity. This is brought sharply into focus through initiatives such as those launched by the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for the development of sport in Iraq in the wake of the 2003 invasion. The work of such organisations in the context of the development of international disability sport is also noted. The second category, sport and recreation within wider aid packages, will consider ways in which initiatives using physical activity can be instrumental at community and individual level, in facilitating rehabilitation and reconciliation in post-conflict situations. The relationship between disability sport and the consequences of warfare is discussed. With a clear historical link back to Guttman’s post WWII therapies for disabled servicemen and the experiences in developing rehabilitation programmes for Vietnam veterans, attention is drawn to more recent conflicts in the developing world and the urgent need for international aid to support the individuals and communities. The Cambodian experience with high numbers of disabling injuries from anti-personnel mines is a particular focus of attention. Rehabilitation programmes here, have involved the use of planned recreation to assist the process of both adapting to physical capacity and in social re-integration.
Results
One of the key challenges to securing additional support for sport in the domestic arena, is providing sufficient evidence to demonstrate its capacity to influence behaviour, enhance performance and improve quality of life. In some respects, a similar challenge exists in relation to international development assistance for sport. Alongside a consideration of ways of identifying the tangible benefits of such assistance to individuals and communities, the paper contributes to discussion on the changing nature of international development assistance. It also provides valuable insights into the evolving role of sports NGOs in the domestic and international political arena.
Discussion / implications
A range of issues emerge from the paper, that have implications on the aspirations and capacity of sports organisations to engage as independent actors in the international arena, as well as their evolving relationship with state institutions. More fundamentally, questions arise about the nature and scope of international development assistance as an aspect of international diplomacy. Key issues for discussion are:
• Within the context of sports governance, how are the relationships between governmental and non-governmental organisations evolving?
• How can we reconcile the apparent contradiction when governments who traditionally take an ‘arms length’ approach to the governance of sport, actively engage in support for international development assistance through sport?
• What role can ‘private’ organisations such as equipment manufacturers, play in international development assistance and what does this indicate about the changing nature of the private sector in contemporary society?
• What are the precedents for international development assistance in elite sport and what value has this for the general development of sport?
• Given the increasing requirement of sports federations to develop inclusive strategies, what link exists between engagement in international development assistance and domestic sports development considerations?
References (sample)
Doll-Tepper et. al. New Horizons in Sport for Athletes with a Disability – Proceedings of the International Vista 1999 Conference, Oxford, Meyer & Meyer Sport.
Rains C. ‘The Forgotten Athletes – A Critical Appraisal of IPC Sports Competition of World and Paralympic Levels’ in; (p.p. 493-497)
Higgs C. ‘Making a Difference: Using Sport and Recreation in the Guyana Project for People with Disabilities’, , (p.p. 799-813)
Burnell P. (1997) Foreign Aid in a Changing World, Open University Press, Buckingham.
Smillie I. et al (eds) (1999) Stakeholders: Government-NGO partnerships for International Development, Earthscan, London.
Halloran-Lumsdaine D. (1993) Moral Vision in International Politics: The Foreign Aid Regime, 1949 – 1989, Princeton University Press, Princeton.
Killick T. (1998) Aid and the Political Economy of Policy Change, Routledge, London.
Brown C. (1997) Understanding International Relations, MacMillan Press, Basingstoke.
Aaron Beacom
# posted by A Sociologist : 1:33 PM
