Studies in Classical Philology

2 total works

Socialist Ensembles

by Randy Martin

Published 3 October 1994

Most discussions of socialist development within nation-states focus exclusively on the state, leaving civil society out of the picture. By looking into the realm of theatre in two socialist states, Randy Martin finds a way of broadening this view. An ethnography of theatre and political culture in Cuba and Nicaragua, his work reveals the tensions and negotiations among different dimensions of society that characterize the socialist project. Theatre, Martin shows us, is a particularly elastic expression of aesthetic and organizational form that can prefigure broader social developments. The critical sensibility displayed there, taking its cues from cultural processes beyond the stage, is indicative of the ongoing reformation of the socialist project. Martin considers Nicaragua through the Sandanista and Chamorro administrations, and Cuba from the time of reform, known as rectification through the withdrawal of Soviet aid.

Sportcult

by Randy Martin

Published 1 April 1999

Although sport is pervasive in our society, its significance as a cultural phenomenon remains largely misunderstood, and its singular ability to entertain, inspire, and unite is frequently taken for granted. Sporting metaphors abound in politics and business, and communities, from neighborhoods to nations, see in sport the embodiment of their values. So what do the popularity and ubiquity of sport tell us about the world? How do sport's stories of victory and defeat reflect the society that narrates them? This volume offers a variety of perspectives on the cultural politics of sport.

Looking at such diverse examples of sport culture as aerobics, bodybuilding, Mexican pro-wrestling, golf-course design, the basketball documentary Hoop Dreams, women sportscasters, sports-related trademarks, martial arts in Tanzanian youth culture, and cricket in Sri Lanka and post-apartheid South Africa, SportCult deftly explores sport as a cultural frame of reference for such critical issues as national identity, the idea of the body, global capitalism, and the politics of representation.

Contributors: Rosemary J. Coombe, U of Toronto; Grant Farred, Williams College; Qadri Ismail, U of Minnesota; May Joseph, New York U; Bradley S. Klein, Clark U; Heather Levi; Jim McKay, U of Queensland, Australia; Gitanjali Maharaj; Michael R. Real, San Diego State U; Bruce Robbins, Rutgers U; David Rowe, U of Newcastle, Australia; Amanda Smith, Australian Broadcasting Corp; Jon Stratton, Curtin U of Technology, Australia.