Sport, politics and society in the Arab world

This book sets out a new critical perspective on our understanding of the society and history of the Arab World through the study of sport - an area rarely referred to in literature on the region. The book examines sport in relation to cultural, political and economic changes, including nation-state building, the formation of national identity and international relations in post-colonial context. It also analyzes the commercialization of sport and the growth of sport media broadcasting in the Arab World. The author explores how sport in the Arab World has been the site of political agitation and social contestation, arguing that the sports arena can still offer the possibility of Arab nations to compete at international level and the Arab people a chance to claim some symbolic victory against their hard socio-economic and political realities.