What role do the World Cups play in shaping national identities in a globalized world?
- Date: June 16, 2026 Time: 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Location: Business School - 919 Luis de la Torre
The Department of International Studies, in collaboration with the Culture, Politics, and Society Group, is organizing this conference, which aims to examine the World Cup and its role in globalization and nationalism.
In an interdependent and media-driven international system, major sporting events—particularly the FIFA World Cup—provide a prime opportunity to examine the relationship between nationalism and globalization.
Far from being at odds with one another, these two dimensions are intertwined: the assertion of national identities takes place, precisely, within a global context that shapes them, brings them to the fore, and pits them against one another.
This lecture aims, first, to examine how global events not only reflect the national, but also contribute to its construction and normalization through rituals, narratives, and collective representations. Second, it will address the interdependence between nationalism and internationalism, recognizing that countries’ global presence reinforces their status as distinct units within the international system. Finally, it will analyze the role of globalization as a process that, although it diversifies identities, continues to operate within a structure based on the nation-state.
In this context, the World Cup serves as a cultural and media event where nations showcase themselves, shape their public image, and implement positioning strategies, thereby contributing to the construction of collective memories and expectations regarding the global order.
Exhibits
-
Dr. (Ph.D. candidate) Juan Manuel Montoro
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Communication from the Catholic University, a master’s degree in Semiotics from the University of Bologna (Italy), and is a doctoral candidate in Sports and Movement Sciences at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland).
His current research focuses on the intersection of nation and sport in global contexts, with a particular emphasis on the construction of identity narratives and the use of sport as a platform for soft power.
He has worked in sports journalism and currently serves as a professor and consultant at the Catholic University of Uruguay.
Event Registration
- Free admission
- Advance registration is required