This case study documents and analyzes the utility of basketball as a tool of soft power diplomacy, focusing on interactions between France and China since The Cold War and beginning with the Sino-French rapprochement in 1964 and the French basketball team’s trip to China in 1966. The case offers students an alternative look at methods of soft power, interspersing players’ personal accounts with broader geopolitical machinations.
This case is ideal for any class in which diplomatic soft power is featured as one aspect of interstate relations. Students will gain an appreciation of the powerful symbolism within culture and sport, and how states use these to gain legitimacy, recognition, and respect.
ISBN: 978-1-56927-060-8 | Published: 2023