Arne Næss-holm

Batting for Peace: a Study of Cricket Diplomacy Between India and Pakistan Arne Næss-holm

Cricket diplomacy, playing an important part in the Pakistani-Indian peace process, is more relevant than ever twenty years after Pakistani president Zia went cricket-watching to India in 1987. Sport has been widely recognized in recent years for its potential for peace in capacity of bringing people together, bridging differences and promoting communication and understanding. Still, very little academic literature exists on the relationship between sport on the hand and the realm of politics and diplomacy on the other. Traditional diplomatic approaches are no longer sufficient as the use of sport clashes with what is considered the normal diplomatic landscape. This book, therefore, attempts first to bridge the gap between sport and politics and establish use of sport in diplomacy. Second, it situates cricket diplomacy in the sport diplomacy universe, and finally, it discusses whether and how cricket diplomacy between India and Pakistan has been successful. The analysis should help shed some light on this under-researched field, and should be equally useful to professionals in politics and diplomacy as anyone else interested in the fascinating intertwining of sport and politics.