A beginners guide to the social impacts of the Olympics

Taken from http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/node/333

The Olympics project is large and complex. It is not easy to quickly grasp the nature of its probable impacts on the Lower Lea Valley and London. Here is a collection of four useful papers which together give a relatively short description of some of the significant impacts.

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Filed under: the problem with the Olympics

How can we respond to the Olympics?

The Olympic mayhem will have had an impact and left a legacy which will affect our communities in numerous ways for many years to come. There are so many concerns: the destruction of local businesses, homes, local environments and treasured spaces; the pricing out of local people; huge corporate gain at our expense; massive surveillance operations including the development of drone technology, and many more.

How can local communities respond to what is happening? How can the assumptions behind who benefits from the Olympics be publicly challenged? How can the corporate profiteering be exposed? How can we take the opportunity to add London voices to those from other cities around the world who have challenged the Olympics, and further a growing critical perspective?

How can we build alliances with other local communities around the world that have mounted stiff opposition when Big Sport has invaded them? How can we avoid having to start organising from scratch each time?

Filed under: the problem with the Olympics