Shamu, Gabriel Gwaze2017-04-032017-04-032016Shamu, Gabriel Gwaze (2016) The developmental impacts of FIFA World Cups on BRICS nations, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/22293>http://hdl.handle.net/10539/22293Thesis (M.A. (International Relations))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2016.With sport becoming a worldwide phenomenon through the international nature of matches and events, International Relations (IR) academic writers have had to take note. States and cities are increasingly using major sporting events and activities to re-image themselves, promote development and regeneration. Therefore, this research report will highlight numerous connections sport and IR possess through examining the widely proclaimed developmental impacts of hosting a mega sporting event (MSE) such as the FIFA World Cup. The professionalization and resultant commodification of sporting events seen through the transnational actor FIFA and World Cups in South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 will be used as case studies. These chosen cases will illustrate that in reality the FIFA World Cup is not as beneficial for host nations from the emerging or developing world as claimed. The research will be theoretically based on the perspective of neoliberalism in relation to the IR concept of Globalization. Key Words Sport, International Relations, Globalization, Neoliberalism, Mega Sporting Events, FIFA, World Cup, DevelopmentOnline resource (126 leaves)enSoccer--Economic aspects--South AfricaSoccer--Economic aspects--BrazilWorld Cup (Soccer)--2010World Cup (Soccer)--2014Thesis