Sport is a global phenomenon. The purpose of this course is to study the growth and development of sport internationally and to examine the profile of sports and sport systems of specific countries. Throughout history, sport has served many purposes. Sport has been used as a tool in the formation of nations, as a means to promote nationalism, as a route to forge international relations, as an instrument to improve physical and health education, and as a conduit of political ideologies. More recently, numerous international organizations have established initiatives to provide sporting opportunities for the citizens of developing nations in an attempt to improve the quality of life. As such, students will examine the impact of culture, politics and economics on global sport.