Sport Mega Events and Urban Development 1

Introduction to Doctor Amanda Delizio

  • Guest Lecturer: Doctor Amanda Delizio

  • Position: Assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology

  • Research Focus: Physical culture, policy, sustainable development

    • Key Areas: Health, informality, urban development in mega event host cities

    • Influences: Critical feminist geographies

    • Research on: Women, cis, and trans in popular economies in the Global South

  • Courses Taught:

    • Gender and sexuality in sport and health (fourth-year course)

    • Sport and crises of capitalism (a relatively new and timely course)

    • Will teach study abroad program in Brazil on urban events and popular economies in Rio

Doctor Delizio’s Teaching Experience

  • Previous Engagements: Educated first-year kinesiology and health science students

  • Third-Year Projects: Overseeing research projects funded by SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada)

  • Importance of Connecting with Students: Relishes opportunities to interact with students from various years

Student Engagement and Reflection

  • Expectations on Campus Experience: Reflect on first-year experience and how it might feel to new students

    • Questions:

    • How was your first commute?

    • What senses did you encounter?

    • Who did you meet?

    • What routes do you take?

  • Significance of Location: Consider how places shape individuals and community dynamics

  • Emotional Contexts: Where do you go during moments of bad or good news?

    • Implications on Urban Space: Places are not neutral; they influence personal and communal identities

Urban Population Trends

  • Current Statistics: 3.5 billion people live in cities today

  • Future Projections: 5 billion by 2030 and 70% of the global population by 2050

    • Impact of Urban Living: Affects interactions with nature, technology, and fellow beings

    • Challenges posed by rapid urban growth on municipalities

Health and Urban Development

  • Public Health Concerns: Increased pressures on cities regarding essential services (freshwater, sewage, living conditions)

  • Influence of Financial Constraints: Diminished public funding leads to neoliberal austerity affecting urban development

    • Cities must seek external capital and prioritize investor interests over community needs

Historical Context of Urban Development and Neoliberalism

  • Impact of Neoliberal Austerity: Shift from public investment to private capital reliance

    • Studies:

    • David Harvey (1989): Urban governance shift to entrepreneurial strategies for revenue generation

    • Kipper and Keele (2002): Cities competing for foreign capital affecting local governance

    • Interaction with Capitalism: Democracy vs. corporate interests and how this affects urban life

Sport as a Catalyst for Urban Growth

  • Contrasting Viewpoints:

    • Grassroots Sports: Foster community engagement and social cohesion

    • Professional Level: Seen as drivers of economic growth and urban development

  • Mega Events: Seen as platforms for stimulating growth in urban areas

Essential Texts for Urban Development in Sport

  • **Key Literature Highlights: **

    • David Harvey (1989): Analysis of changing urban governance practices in response to reduced aid

    • Kipper and Keele (2002): Examination of cities competing for investments

    • Burbank et al: Concept of Mega Event Strategy to prompt accelerated urban development around host cities

Community Responses and Urban Challenges

  • Resisting Urban Development: Reflections on community impacts of mega events such as the Olympics

  • Case Studies: Examples of communities affected by the construction of Olympic venues

  • Role of Activism: Discussion of resistance against gentrification and evictions during large-scale events

  • Evictions and Public Health: Psychological impacts of urban displacement

    • Mindy Thompson Fulilov's Work: Exploration of emotional crises stemming from urban evictions

Colonization Versus Community Investment

  • Issues of Extraction: Wealth extraction being central to discussions about colonialism in urban settings

  • Definitions of Colonialism: Noted perspectives on the extraction of wealth from communities

  • Active Ongoing Consent: Understanding that consent is an evolving concept in community and urban relations

Key Definitions and Concepts

  • Capital: Refers to valuable resources, including money, and their potential for growth

  • Root Shock: A term coined by Mindy Thompson Fulilov describing the emotional and psychological impacts of evictions

  • Eminent Domain: The legal principle allowing governments to evict communities for public purposes

Closing Thoughts on Urban Spaces and Health

  • Mental Health and Community: Recognizes how disruptions in community spaces affect individual health

  • Community Resilience in the Face of Urban Changes: Calls for celebrating community culture and fighting against negative stereotypes