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Book Review: The Olympic Games: A Social Science Perspective

The Olympic Games: A Social Science Perspective presents a timely examination of the complex and often paradoxical phenomenon known as the Olympic Games. Toohey and Veal both teach in the School of Leisure and Tourism Studies at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. Using the 2000 Sydney Games as backdrop, the authors provide a thorough multidisciplinary examination of historical, cultural, and social elements of the Olympic Games. The authors do not shy away from the difficult issues surrounding the Olympics, including drugs and the Olympics, accusations of past and current power abuse among members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Olympic Games as a stage for both violent and nonviolent protest, gender inequities for Olympic athletes and administrators, media-related controversies, economic costs and benefits of the Olympic games, and historical conflicts between organizers and host communities. The text begins with an introductory chapter, stressing that the goal of the book is to introduce a variety of perspectives, both historical and contemporary, to the reader. Not surprisingly, chapter 2 of the text provides a historical backdrop of the original Olympic Games. Chapter 3 links the original Olympic Games with the modern games. By pointing out the larger socioeconomic and cultural context at the time of the rebirth of the Olympic Games, this chapter adds texture to a topic typically given over to glorified interpretation. Chapter 4 provides an overview of the modern games, including an unblinking look at the IOC and its long history of criticism and scandal. Perhaps the most interesting concept covered in this chapter is that of “Olympism,” defined by Pierre de Coubertin as a philosophy of life that focuses on balance of mind, body, and spirit. The authors provide an extensive critique of Olympism, which should make for a lively class discussion. While some may attempt to argue that the Olympic Games are above politics, the authors use chapter 5 to present a great deal of evidence to the contrary. A variety of examples are introduced for discussion, ranging from international terrorism to local “pork-barreling” (p. 3), both by individuals within the Olympic framework and outside it. In a similar vein, the economic and financial complexities of the Olympic Games are provided in chapter 6. The commodification and commercialization of the events and athletes in the 1984 Los Angeles “Hamburger Games” are represented as a kind of economic transformation of the Olympics as big business. Other economic issues are discussed, including broadcast rights, fund-raising for venue development, and economic impact of the Games. Chapters 7, 8, and 9 target three of the most volatile issues currently surrounding the Olympic Games: the Olympics and mass media, drugs in the Olympics, and women and the Olympic Games. Chapter 7 adds to the “tail wagging the dog” discourse by placing the role of the media as editorial and financial filter for the games, influencing what, when, and how the world sees the Olympic Games. Chapter 8 takes a hard look at the extremely complex issue of the use of performance-enhancing drugs and other banned substances. Chapter 9 presents a balanced examination of the various historical, social, political, and cultural barriers that women have faced throughout the history of the modern Olympic Games, including the past humiliation of sex testing; the media’s alternating between ignoring, trivializing, and scorning women athletes; and the lack of women in IOC administrative positions. Three in-depth case studies are provided in chapter 10: the 1992 Barcelona Games, the 1996 Atlanta Games, and the 2000 Sydney Games. The issues and concepts presented earlier in the text are applied to each of these games. The chapter concludes with a useful appendix that briefly summarizes each of the games of the modern era. The final chapter looks ahead to the next century of Olympic Games, pointing out issues that must be faced and trends that cannot be ignored. The authors use the chapter to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the establishment of a permanent site for the Olympic Games. A particularly useful component of the text is Appendix 1: Web sites, Films, Videos, and CDs. This provides a basic list of available resources for instructors who may wish to complement the text with a variety of audiovisuals. While the list is not exhaustive, it does provide a very solid foundation of resources from which to choose. The authors also provide a comprehensive list of references and a meticulous index. The authors stress that the text is not intended as an exhaustive compendium of the Olympic Games but rather as a sound foundation for any course that seeks to educate about the social complexities of large-scale global events. It is obvious that a concerted effort was made to ensure that the most up-to-date and current data were used to ensure “a broad, independent, multidisciplinary account of and perspective on this unique phenomenon” (p. ix). The book is well thought out, and it is evident that great care was taken to ensure an even-handed understanding of the complexity of