The overall narrative for these Olympics seems somewhat ambivalent: “they were a rousing success, but…” But they could only take place in a totalitarian country where the government can direct resources at will towards any national project. But the protest zones were left empty and some of those wanting to protest were arrested after they filed their paperwork.

USC Ph.D candidate Jade Miller explores soccer’s ability to unify and divide nations, and draws upon examples from this year’s World Cup tournament.

As a new member of the blog team, I'd like to note this report I recently published regarding the public diplomacy implications and opportunities surrounding the 2006 FIFA World Cup. A summary follows.