Comparison between National and International Sporting Events in East Asia example

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Comparison between National and International Sporting Events in East Asia

In Globalization: A Contested Concept, there is an idea that early interpretations of globalization are misleading. These interpretations encourage thinking about globalization in terms of compromising national economic, political, cultural, and other interests for the sake of some global idea. Comparison between the Arirang mass games in North Korea and Beijing Olympics allows suggesting that such perception is erroneous, and globalization opens a lot of opportunities for the national development.

To validate this hypothesis, it is suggested to distinguish between the concepts of nationalization and globalization, as well as how they are evident in the analysed events. To put it simple, nationalization involves brining something, for example production or culture, under the control of a nation. It means a priority of national interests over all other. Very often, nationalization is perceived in terms of a certain degree of detachment from the rest of the world, as it is seen in the analysis of the Arirang games in North Korea. At the same time, globalization is frequently perceived in terms of creating a universal political, economic, and cultural space, where national ideas are compromised for the global ones.

In terms of the presented definitions, the Arirang mass games in North Korea are a prime example of nationalization. One of the most secretive and least mentioned sports events in the world news and research literature, the Arirang games involve a display of thousands of young, agile, and strong bodies moving in a perfect synchronization. A few foreign researchers of the Arirang games attribute their popularity to deep symbolism underlying mass gymnastics performances. It is suggested that such performances allude to absolute power and control that an authoritarian leader has over the nation. At the same time, mass gymnastics performances symbolize the solidity of the nation and its opposition to outside influences. Eventually, it can be asserted that mass games in North Korea are the most striking example of nationalization.

At the same time, Olympic Games, including the ones held in Beijing in 2008, are considered an example of globalization, and union of nations with a view of common prosperity. To illustrate this idea, it can be admitted that some experts believed that Beijing Olympics would end the Tibetan uprisings, and promote ethnic reconciliation. Such assumptions were based on the experience of previous years, when the 2000 Olympics in Sydney facilitated reconciliation between Aborigines and Whites. Thus, Olympics are perceived as the embodiment of globalization, and compromising national ideas for some universal prosperity.

However, analysis of the Arirang mass games in North Korea and 2008 Olympics in Beijing allows assuming that there is hardly any idea that is a truly national or completely global. When studying the history of the Arirang games, it becomes evident that the idea originated in Europe, rather than North Korea. It means that mass gymnastics is, in fact, a global, rather than national invention. At the same time, assessment of the Olympics allows suggesting that …

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