Sport as swaggering: utilizing sport as soft power

Performance of a country's teams on the playing field in international sporting events, as well as the opportunity to host events, contribute both to nation building and the enhancement of the national brand to outside observers. These events can create a strong sense of nationalism and may unify a population or strengthen the legitimacy of that state's incumbent government both at home and abroad. This paper attempts to create a parallel between this sort of sport-related behaviour and swaggering, which according to Robert J. Art (1980) is behaviour that is used to enhance national pride, satisfy a leader's ambitions, and enhance the country's image elsewhere. While Art's original discussion of swaggering is tied to the peaceful use of military force, the similarities between Art's swaggering, and the behaviour shown by decision-makers as it ties to international sport, particularly in regard to the Summer Olympics, are striking.