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International Conference on "The Olympics in East Asia: Nationalism, Regionalism, and Globalism on the Center Stage of World Sports"

13 Mar 2008

The International Conference on "The Olympics in East Asia: Nationalism, Regionalism, and Globalism on the Center Stage of World Sports" will be held on 15 March 2008 at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). It is jointly organized by the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, HKU, and the Council on East Asian Studies, Yale University.

The Olympic Games in Athens in 1896 marked the beginning of the modern Olympic movement. For the last half-century, the East Asian nations have been as crucial to the movement as the Games have been significant to these nations. It is this powerful mutual influence at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 that we wish to highlight in the conference.

The Olympics are indeed "Games" as much about economics and politics as about play, and they are as much about patriotism and profit as about sportsmanship. The Beijing Olympics is a means by which Beijing can claim its place as a global city, and a stage in which regional political and economic rivalries can be played out or played down in a sporting idiom. A conference that explores the East Asian Olympic experience can offer a timely perspective on the events unfolding in Beijing.

Over 15 world-class scholars and professionals will present papers and take part in the discussion. Panels are open to the public, and press members are cordially invited to attend. Details are as follows:

Date: 15 March 2008 (Saturday)
Time: 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m.
Venue: Council Chamber, Room 809, Meng Wah Complex, 
            The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong

For enquiries, please contact Ms. Venus Lee of the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (Tel: 2241-5025 Email: chunkuk@hku.hk) or Ms Cherry Cheung of HKU External Relations Office (Tel: 2859-2606 / 8208-1686 Email: cherry.cheung@hku.hk).