Balls and the Cold War

Abstract

Joseph Nye coined a concept that explained the ability of countries to "organize the policy agenda in ways that shape the preferences of others. The ability to shape preferences tends to be associated with intangible levers such as culture, ideology, and attractive institutions," he called these subjective, impalpable, officially outside foreign policy, "side power". This idea may explain the importance given by states to the national sport. The extent of this attention varies in different contexts, but undoubtedly the world - especially behind the Iron Curtain - during the Cold War (1947-1991) accorded sport a central role in its soft power agendas.