Sharon Pardo
New Sports Diplomacy: The Case of the Maccabiah Games
This research examines the Maccabiah Games, founded in 1932 and now the third-largest sporting event in the world, as a case of contemporary sports diplomacy. Held every four years in Israel, the Games promote Jewish sport, strengthen ties with the global Jewish diaspora, encourage immigration, and support Israel’s diplomatic aims.
Focusing on the years 1973 to 2025, the research addresses a major gap in scholarship by analyzing how the Maccabiah, although operated by non-state actors, serves Israeli diplomatic interests. It tests the idea that non-state sports organizations often advance national goals more effectively than official state channels.
The research uses critical discourse analysis of Israeli and Jewish media across two historical periods, along with textual analysis of legislation, protocols, and official statements. Fieldwork during the 2026 Games, fifty semi-structured interviews, and participant surveys will provide additional insight into policy processes and public perceptions.
The research explores how the Games’ shift from an Olympic caliber event to a more amateur competition reflects changing relations between the state, the public, and sports, as well as broader foreign policy trends. It will produce the first comprehensive study of Israeli and Jewish sports diplomacy and will contribute new theoretical and empirical knowledge on soft power, identity, and the perceived diplomatic, economic, and migratory impacts of the Maccabiah Games.
European Jewish Communities and Europe’s Radical Right Populists
This research examines the evolving and increasingly complex relationships between European Jewish communities and Europe’s radical right populist and Eurosceptic parties and governments within the contemporary political landscape.
The research focuses particularly on the transformative period following the October 7th, 2023, Hamas terror attack against Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, which has precipitated a significant recalibration of political dynamics across the European continent. This temporal focus is crucial, as these events have catalyzed unprecedented shifts in political discourse, alliance structures, and community positioning that demand rigorous scholarly examination.
The research systematically explores whether and to what extent traditional political alignments have undergone fundamental transformation as European Jewish communities find themselves navigating an increasingly precarious political terrain.
I am conducting this research in my role as a Senior Research Fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI).
Further information is available on the JPPI webpage
