The Ideal Olympian. A greatness of Olympic proportions / Michael W. Austin -- Machiavelli, the Olympic ideal, and the southern arrow / Raymond Angelo Belliotti -- What's more than gold / Scott F. Parker. -- Ancient Heritage. The Olympics of the mind: philosophy and athletics in the ancient Greek world / Paul A. Cantor and Peter Hufnagel -- Go tell the Spartans: honor, courage, and excellence in the ancient Olympic games / Jesús Ilundáin-Agurruza -- The soul of an Olympian: Olympism and the ancient philosophical ideal of aretē / Heather L. Reid. -- Modern Ideals. More than games: Olympism as a moral approach to sport / Douglas W. McLaughlin and Cesar R. Torres -- Olympism between individualism and transnationalism / Milan Hosta -- Citius, altius, fortius, virtuous / Jeffrey P. Fry. -- Ethical Issues. The Olympics and steroids / Stephen Kershnar -- Olympic boxing: a not so sweet science / Joseph D. Lewandowski -- Should the Olympics be the very best? : a plea on behalf of the second-rate / Regan Reitsma. -- Race and Gender Issues. The strong men keep a comin' on: African American sports participation and the discourse of public dissent / Pellom McDaniels III -- Olympic Amazons and the Cold War: the rise and fall of gender radicalism / Kutte Jönsson -- Buns of gold, silver, bronze: the state of Olympic women's beach volleyball / Charlene Weaving. -- Political Power. The ethics of boycotting the Olympics / Charles Taliaferro and Michel Le Gall -- Sport, patriotism, and the Olympic Games / Alun R. Hardman and Hywel Iorwerth -- Sharing the moment: on the Olympic Games as spectacle / Matthew Sharpe.
Summary:
It is said the champions of the ancient Olympic Games received a crown of olive leaves, symbolizing a divine blessing from Nike, the winged goddess of victory. While the mythology of the ancient games has come to exemplify the highest political, religious, community, and individual ideals of the time, the modern Olympic Games, by comparison, are widely known as an international, bi-annual sporting event where champions have the potential to earn not only glory for their country, but lucrative endorsement deals and the perks of worldwide fame. This work examines the Olympic movement from a variety of theoretical perspectives to uncover the connection between athleticism and philosophy for a deeper appreciation of the Olympic pillars of sport, environment, and culture. While today' Olympic champions are neither blessed by the gods nor rewarded with wreaths of olive, the original spirit and ancient ideals of the Olympic movement endure in its modern embodiment. The editora have assembled a team of international scholars to explore topics such as the concept of excellence, ethics, doping, gender, and race. Interweaving ancient and modern Olympic traditions, the book considers the philosophical implications of the Games' intersection with historical events and modern controversy in a unique analysis of tradition and the future of the Olympiad.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.