Introduction: establishing the field of play
The introduction to the book lays out the key arguments of sport and diplomacy. It explains the value of the field of study, and why it has emerged in the last five years, and the relationship between these two enduring features of the contemporary world. The sections of the book addressing ‘Concepts and History’, ‘Public Diplomacy’ and ‘No Sport as Diplomacy’ are laid out. Further, it keeps a firm focus on the impact of the relationship between sport and diplomacy on practitioners and policy makers. The introduction argues for the relevance of the whole volume as shedding new light on to question such as: How far has sport been materially overlooked in the relationship between states and diplomacy? To what extent does sport provide a lens upon the international system that gives insight into broader issues of diplomacy, particularly the discourses of Soft Power and Public Diplomacy?; and What is the future of the relationship between Sport and Diplomacy?