My Last Post

Throughout this semester, I have really enjoyed keeping a blog to share my thoughts on various readings and topics. I think it has been a very effective way to ensure that we all stay caught up on our assignments while discussing them with one another in a forum where we are all able to speak freely at length about the course subject matter. I think it has really helped me to think analytically about all of the topics that we covered in class, while expressing my opinion in a clear and concise way. Additionally, I feel that blogging was a great way for all of us to learn about one another and gather different opinions about various topics. In this, blogging has been a very positive experience.

Still, there obviously have been certain subjects that have interested me more than others. Based on my background in history and political science, I loved writing and reading about globalization and differences between cultures (e.g., Whither the NBA, The Whole World Isn’t Watching, etc.). Still, it was great to read my classmates’ blogs throughout the semester, and see just what really appealed to them. It was through this sharing of ideas that I feel that these blogs were an extremely positive learning tool, as we all expanded our horizons while learning about each other.

While I don’t feel that keeping a blog has necessarily changed how I view anything in the world, it has helped me to think more critically about what I see in the world around me. Additionally, blogging has helped me to not be afraid to say exactly what I think, along with not being afraid to give or receive criticism. Through constant interaction with my classmates, I have learned to effectively use my voice to gain a broader world perspective.

In conclusion, this semester has been a great learning experience, which I truly appreciate. Thank you to everybody who has read or commented on my blog. Your feedback has meant a lot to me, and I take it to heart.

Fin.

IOC Environmental Policy

As presented by Cantelon & Letters (2000) in their article “The Making of IOC Environmental Policy as the Third Dimension of the Olympic Movement,” environmentalism has become an increasingly important part of international culture, and something that international organizations such as the IOC must be able to adapt to. Cantelon & Letters (2000) use the example of the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics in France as a turning point of environmental policy. As the construction of the Olympic facilities had an increasingly negative impact upon the natural environment of Albertville, international criticism was turned towards the IOC, forcing them to adapt to become more environmentally conscious. Luckily, the organizing committee of the Lillehammer games was able to adapt very quickly to a more “green” mentality, and as a result, in many ways, the IOC also adopted those same values.

While there is certainly much to be said about the local influence on a global organization in this case, that is not what caught my attention in regards to this article. Instead, it is the failure of the Albertville games and the subsequent need to adopt a “green” mentality. It seems to me that, without the negative backlash against the Albertville games, the IOC would have continued to act environmentally irresponsibly. This is evidenced by the fact that, although the Albertville games stressed that they were striving to maintain the area’s beauty, however, it is unclear that anything was actually being done to preserve the local ecosystems. One could certainly assume from that press release that the IOC was simply trying to save face. Therefore, my question becomes, if the Albertville games did not receive such negative coverage, would environmentalism have become the third dimension of the Olympic movement? I have say no, however, the silver lining of this scenario remains that out of disaster came a learning experience and a chance to make things better for the future, and it certainly appears that the IOC has embraced this opportunity.

The Gender Trap

I have often found that in our society, people tend to see things as “either/or,” submitting to one of two options. Black or white. Democrat or Republican. Pepsi or Coke. Boy or girl. However, this way of seeing things does not tell the whole story. As Saner (2008) describes in her article “The Gender Trap,” there is a huge world population of “intersex” or transgender individuals living in the world today (roughly .1% of the world’s total population), blurring the lines of the traditional “male-female” idea of gender. Clearly, these people are part of an often forgotten and ignored population, and, in a sport environment, they represent an issue that must be properly addressed and dealt with.

As Saner (2008) states, women whose gender is in question are put through a series of tests to determine if they are in fact female. This process is extremely humiliating for the athletes themselves and has been the subject of much criticism in recent years. Still, one has to ask- if athletes are able to slip between gender lines, does that create an unfair advantage? Conversely, if an athlete is found to have an intersex condition, such testing can publicly “out” them, creating another questionable ethical situation.

Of course, simply looking at it from an administrator’s perspective ignores the very human element of such controversy. Intersex individuals often naturally feel confused and alienated from much of society because they fall outside of the “male-female” gender dichotomy. This pressure and feeling of alienation can lead to tragic results, as was the case of Santhi Soundarajan, an Indian athlete whose public humiliation from being stripped of her medal helped lead her to attempt suicide. Such attempts are not uncommon for people with intersex conditions; however, the publicity that came from Soundarajan’s attempt may help shed light on the stigmas that accompany such conditions, causing people to take a closer look at an often silenced minority.