London 2012 and beyond: concluding reflections on peacemaking sport and the Olympic movement

The 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games have reinvigorated the debate on Olympic legacies for peace and development. Addressing this debate and building on the articles in this collection, this epilogue argues that the theoretical-conceptual understanding of peace and peacemaking remains poorly developed within the peacemaking discourse espoused by the Olympic movement. The authors draw upon insights from mainstream peace research to identify a series of key themes and questions across six dimensions of peacemaking – aim, means, time, actors, process/action and organization. These themes and questions can guide future research, policy and practice in peacemaking through sport.