ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to examine these tensions, and to highlight the key groups involved in the cultural struggles that underpinned the awarding of the 2008 Olympic Games to Beijing. In doing so, this chapter draws attention to broader questions concerning global sport and Olympism, globalisation and geopolitical issues, and Sino-Western civilisational struggles (for further discussion of Chinese encounters with other civilisations, see Cho-Yun Hsu, 2001; for globalisation and China see Yeung, 2000; and for a general discussion of civilisational analysis see the Introduction to this collection). The events of what has become known as 9/11 have shaken the interdependencies that pattern the geopolitics of the globe. It is too early to tell what the intended and unintended consequences of such events will be.
