Background

To mark the centenary of the AFAA (Association Française d'Action Artistique), the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3 organised a monthly online workshop for 18 months in 2020-2022 and an international symposium in May 2022 with the support of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) and the Institut Francais (French Institute). Some fifty researchers participated in these reflections on the history of cultural diplomacy. To continue these discussions, some of the initial members of the academic committee have launched a new collaboration with historians of sport and sport diplomacy, and are thus organising a new online workshop on the following theme: ‘Sport, diplomacy, and influence: what is the impact of sport within diplomacy and the history of international relations?’. We hope that this workshop will result in a special issue that will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

This multidisciplinary project (which combines history, information and communication sciences, international relations, and political science) aims to facilitate conversations between specialists in sport and those in diplomacy, and in particular soft power, at a time when the French government, the various ministries, and the organising committee of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games are organising an event of global importance in France.

The academic committee wishes to encourage two main approaches. On the one hand, it welcomes reflections on the significance of the organisation of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games for France and its image in the world. On the other hand, it wishes to explore broader analyses of the relationship between sport and diplomatic influence in contemporary history. We welcome proposals for papers relating to all geographical areas, particularly those that go beyond Europe and the United States.

Structure

15 November 2022: Paper proposals in French or English should be sent to the following address: sport.diplomatie@gmail.com no later than 15 November 2022. The academic committee will evaluate these proposals which should include:

* Name, first name, e-mail address, status, discipline, short biography.

* The title of the proposed paper.

* An abstract of maximum 2000 characters (including spaces).

* A short bibliography.

* The language of the paper (French or English). There will be no simultaneous translation.

1 December 2022: reply from the academic committee.