Football UN-ited: From the Game of War to the War of the Game

Kyriakos Kentrotis

doi:10.1590/1981-3821201900010002

Abstract

This study presents the UN's narrative in the construction of the post-war world. Spanning a period of more than 70 years, this narrative is described through the parallel narrative of football as the game that everyone can play and win, regardless of size, attributes and abilities. Using the language of football through the words of Eduardo Galeano, the paper reveals a common history with different aspects, which is read largely in the light of Michel Foucault's thinking. In this respect, the UN is approached as fully adapted to a sovereign rationalism that organises reality by ordering each category of (international) political practice and discourse in terms of surveillance and suppression, while at the same time wielding, through its choice of strategies and techniques, a power that has a reformative and productive side. The basic aim of this study is to demonstrate, through the analogy with football, the dual nature of the UN through its application of technologies of power over the course of its lifelong operation.

Highlights

This study presents the UN’s narrative in the construction of the post-war world
An earlier short version of this paper was presented at the Conference of the Hellenic Society of International Law and International Relations (HESILIR), ‘Global Challenges-Common Responsibilities: United Nations, 70 Years’, 17-19 December 2015, in Athens, Greece
In 2010, news lashes informed the world that a ship with 10 football stars on board had gone missing the day before they were due to play in a UN-sponsored match

Summary

Introduction

This study presents the UN’s narrative in the construction of the post-war world. Spanning a period of more than 70 years, this narrative is described through the parallel narrative of football as the game that everyone can play and win, regardless of size, attributes and abilities. Using the language of football through the words of Eduardo Galeano, the paper reveals a common history with different aspects, which is read largely in the light of Michel Foucault’s thinking In this respect, the UN is approached as fully adapted to a sovereign rationalism that organises reality by ordering each category of (international) political practice and discourse in terms of surveillance and suppression, while at the same time wielding, through its choice of strategies and techniques, a power that has a reformative and productive side. In 2010, news lashes informed the world that a ship with 10 football stars on board had gone missing the day before they were due to play in a UN-sponsored match. The end of 2015 is when the world should have been lit up anew to mark the completion of the UN’s MDGs2!

Objectives

Conclusion