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Do the Olympics promote nationalism and international conflict?
[1] The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are in full swing, delayed a year by the covid-19 pandemic. This two-week spectacle of athletes competing under their national banners inevitably launches conversations about nationalism.
[2] Nationalism is woven into the fabric of the Olympic Games. Host countries spend millions to spotlight their national achievements during the opening ceremonies, from China's extensive fireworks in 2008 to the 2012 tribute to England's National Health Service.[3] Nationalism captivates citizens, too. Athletes compete for national pride and spectators drape themselves in flags to cheer for their compatriots - and bask in their country's victories.
[4] The Olympic truce invites countries to pause conflicts and pledge to build "a peaceful and better world through sport." But nationalism-fueled competition raises concerns about whether the games might spark tensions between countries. After all, the Olympics pit political adversaries against each other. The 1980 Lake Placid Games put the Cold War on real ice, as the
United States and Soviet Union battled for the gold medal in ice hockey.[5] Here's what we know about whether nationalism exacerbates international conflict.
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Some research links nationalism and aggressive sentiment
nationalism, but most political psychologists agree nationalism denotes a commitment to one's country and its superiority.
[6] Political scientists use many definitions for [7] Surveys typically measure nationalism with questions about whether people believe their country is better than other countries. Some even ask whether people value winning in the Olympics or other international sports. With rare exceptions, scholars treat this competitive mind-set toward international sports as an indicator for nationalism - with victory on the field superiority.
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implying national [8] Public opinion data shows nationalism heightens international threat perceptions and correlates with support for international conflict. For example, U.S. nationalists supported nuclear weapons and "hard line" policies toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Data from the U.S. and Italy shows nationalism increases militaristic attitudes in the general public.
Nationalism can increase the risk of international conflict [9] In turn, some research indicates nationalist surges raise conflict risks. As research by John Ciorciari and TMC's Jessica Chen Weiss shows, nationalist protests in Thailand and Cambodia
raised the specter of violent escalation over a small but historically important territory.[10] There is some evidence that sporting events or national celebrations can also raise the risk of violent conflict. Citizens in El Salvador and Honduras turned from cheering for their home teams to direct aggression during the qualifying rounds for the 1970 World Cup, sparking the 1969 "Football War."
[11] Research suggests simply participating in the men's World Cup or celebrating a national independence or remembrance day raises the chance of international conflict - though scholars debate whether nationalism bears responsibility for these effects.
But not all nationalisms are created equal
[12] So is a major international competition that feeds nationalist sentiment a recipe for conflict? Not necessarily.
[13] In my forthcoming book, "Nationalisms in International Politics." I argue that equating beliefs about national superiority with the desire to dominate by military force misses an important
point: People have different ideas in mind when they celebrate national greatness.[14] According to my book, nationalism's influence on support for militarism and conflict escalation is lessened when individuals perceive their country as a single family as opposed to when they perceive it as a collection of peers or equals dedicated to justice. This is because who "we" are shapes what "we" think about politics and foreign policy. If "we" as Americans or Canadians commit to fairness and reciprocity, we adopt a more measured approach to conflict. Nationalist norms affect whether we should expect more support for conflict when nationalism
surges.[15] Indeed, one study shows watching a video featuring the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremonies increased nationalism among Chinese participants. But that video failed to raise support for taking a warlike stance in China's territorial dispute with Japan over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. Olympic achievement primed nationalism - but not all nationalist sentiments drive support for
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