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“Sport Is a School of Peace”: Sports for Development, the Francis Effect, and New Directions in Catholic Peacebuilding
Author(s) -
Barbieri William A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
peace and change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1468-0130
pISSN - 0149-0508
DOI - 10.1111/pech.12258
Subject(s) - peacebuilding , popularity , economic justice , political science , sociology , law , environmental ethics , philosophy
Programs combining peace and development work with sports have begun to proliferate in the global Catholic community, and Pope Francis has lent his considerable popularity to efforts to integrate the pursuits of sports, religion, and peace. This article proposes that the conditions are in place for the growth of a vibrant Catholic sports‐for‐peace movement. These conditions include (1) a burgeoning international sector using sports to enhance human development and peace, (2) the involvement of Catholic advocacy for peace and social justice in the emergence of innovative approaches and techniques in the field of peacebuilding, and (3) an ongoing tradition of Catholic training and values with respect to sports. The article concludes with a consideration of both prospects and challenges for the enterprise of Catholic peacebuilding through sports.