ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book looks at conflict and identification of immigrants with professional sports teams. It focuses on a particular sport and cross-cultural building project for women's sports in Iran. The book demonstrates that the potential use of women's sports to foster peaceful and friendly relations, as well as provides a counter narrative to the understanding of women's sports in Iran. It also looks at the role of sports in various contexts: in trauma relief programs in Rwanda; the role of universities in sport, development, and peace; and the role of sports in the demilitarization of child soldiers. The book explores that the marketing strategies of professional sports corporations of the four major sports in the United States and how these strategies are designed to protect their product. It examines some of the issues faced by programs aimed at sports and peacebuilding.
