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The 'caged torch procession': celebrities, protesters and the 2008 Olympic torch relay in London, Paris and San Francisco

  • John Horne
    ,
  • Garry Whannel
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

Along with the opening and closing ceremonies, one of the major non-sports events associated with the modern Olympic Games is the torch relay. Although initiated in 1936, the relay has been subject to relatively little academic scrutiny. The events of April 2008 however will have cast a long shadow on the practice. This essay focuses primarily on one week (6–13 April) in the press coverage of the 2008 torch relay as the flame made its way from London to Paris in Europe and then to San Francisco in the USA. It discusses the interpretations offered in the mediated coverage about the relay, the Olympic Movement, the host city and the locations where the relay was taking place, and critically analyses the role of agencies, both for and against the Olympics, that framed the ensuing debate.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 760-770

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Sport in Society (Volume 13, Issue 5)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 29/06/2010

Publication status

Published - 29/06/2010

ISSN

1743-0437

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/235398
  • Scopus: 77950971640

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