Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
POLITICAL CHALLENGES TO THE SPORTS ETHOS (Round Table). In: XIV International Conference on Theoretical and Applied Ethics St Petersburg University, Russia 17-19 November 2022, Sankt-Peterburg, Rusya, 17 - 19 Kasım 2022, ss.44
The field of sport is usually cited for its developmental aspects; even when it is about the
football with its complex “commercial first” structures, relatively manipulated mass
participations -whether passive or active, and deviations (hooliganism, hegemonic toxic
masculinity, match-fixing, inequality in the distribution of resources, etc.) that outgrew its “just
for public profit” essence, maybe unlike any other sports and activities cited for development.
Especially the sociology of sport and leisure scholars, have been dealing with those deviant
aspects of sports fields, since at least 1964 in internationally organized ways in addition to
their personal efforts. However, terrorism, has never been a mainstream issue while it could
be in the context of ethnic (separatism) issues, deviance or violence, etc.; as the gender,
commercial or child exploitation, or disability issues have been. While the predicaments and
goals of development are society-specific, as Marx emphasized in the critical theory of social
development; terrorism through ethnic separatism, religious or leftist motivations, or in other
forms, the sustained and at times increased violence in this context, have been sitting in the
heart of some of the nations, interfering with their development critically; notwithstanding,
mostly placed aside in international sociology of sport and leisure debates. In this paper, I
approach the issue not just in the “better late than never” sense, but especially in connection
with the increasing observations of the use of sports, mostly football configurations in
particular and related manifestations as an instrument for terrorism, ethnic separatism and
the violence that gradually gets more complex to be identified with the bone fide viewpoints in
public, thus, the share of social scientific inquiry and awareness raising are needed, globally.
The ethnographic approach employed and publicly available data collected from social
media, related literature, online content, and from various events; this inquiry and discussions
mostly revolves around the Turkish experience, however, these experiences may resonate to some
live(d) experiences in different nations and communities. The literature suggests that the
terrorism has been frequently used by colonialism as an instrument for the long-lasting
divisive colonial control. Türkiye, has never been colonized, and has served as a model for
keeping a relatively strong democratic, social state, and independent position in its specific
conditions; though, the country experiences continuous challenges, “countering terrorism in
all its forms and manifestations for decades” (Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MFA,
2022). Our efforts in a wide range of spheres for local and global development, operate within
and influenced by such conditions and challenges. In this context, this paper identifies and
explains the ways of terrorisms’ interests’ relative embodiment in some of the sport settings
through performed e.g. manifestations, manipulations, alternations, or deletions of the
authentic essence of the matter, focusing mostly on the football contexts influenced by
colonial-postmodernist-capitalist-terrorist (mis)interpretations... These cases show how
football is today made beyond being just a sport or even a “soft instrument of cultural
imperialism”, as it serves as a more proactive, progressive useful instrument and terrain e.g. for
ethnic separatism and aggravated ethno and other terrorisms and violence. The role of (social)
science to research-distribute the wisdom out of knowledge in support of social development,
construct and sustaining a just World with all dimensions is significant; the Current study represents
a way of decoding the terrorism for these goals, as such efforts can serve to envision the risks,
can be and inspire the ways of declaration to stop exploitations and manipulated construct
based on these exploitations.