The Impact of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games ― Diminishing Contrasts, Increasing Varieties

During the Games and in their immediate aftermath, the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics were heralded a success. The hosts, Great Britain, were celebrated by the media and the International Olympic Committee for the outward promotion of equality, tolerance and unity as well as inspiring a legacy to continue these core Olympic and Paralympic values. This volume attempts to question these assumed 'successes' using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Each chapter negotiates a different sociological topic relating to the juxtaposition between the assumed equality, tolerance and unity of London 2012, including perceptions of disabilities, gender equality and national identities. Addressing key controversies that emerged before, during and after the spectacle of the Games, this collection uses the sociological concept of 'diminishing contrasts, increasing varieties' to evaluate the real legacy of London 2012.

Kevin Dixon is a Senior Lecturer in Sports Studies at Teesside University, UK. He specializes in the sociological study of football and is the author of Consuming Football in Late Modern Life (2013). He is currently working with Ellis Cashmore on a book entitled Studying Football.

Tom Gibbons is a Senior Lecturer in Sports Studies at Teesside University, UK. He is the author of English National Identity and Football Fan Culture: Who are ya? (2014) and is currently working on a project with Dominic Malcolm on the relationship between contemporary English national identity and sport.