Patrick Hollenbeck

Let the Games Begin:
The Role that Corruption, Sports, Politics, and Propaganda Play in Shifting the Historical Meaning of the Olympic Games over Time

Abstract:

The Olympics are a stage for countries to bolster their image and showcase their potential to an international audience. Presentation is key when hosting the Olympic Games, and government leaders know there are details about their countries that they do not feel need to be revealed to the world. The 1936 Berlin Games coexisted with the Nazi campaign and Hitler imposed rules and restrictions on the people of Germany during the duration of the Games. Furthermore, Moscow in 1980 and Beijing in 2008 are both beneficial to examine because they show how the government of the host country used sports and propaganda to promote their image in a favorable light. The United States boycott of the 1980 Games impacted the propaganda of Moscow both positively and negatively. The Beijing Games were put into question because of genocides and poor air quality. Both were covered up by the Chinese government in order to protect the theme of “One World, One Dream.” The 1936, 1980, and 2008 Olympic Games prove that the relationships of corruption and sports, and politics and propaganda require a wide time period and geographical lens, specifically, an athletic lens to represent purpose for the Olympic Games and a directional change over time and to question the historical meaning of the Olympic Games.

Thesis Advisor:  A. Keysor