Presenting a multi-disciplinary approach to Mexico City’s staging of the Olympic Games in 1968, this book combines analyses of literary works and protest music with comparative history to offer a fresh appreciation of the significance of the event. 

• Explores the first Olympic Games to be hosted by a Spanish-speaking, Latin American country
• Includes new and pioneering research data on the Mexico Games
• An innovative approach from scholars from a variety of disciplines
• Re-appraisal of momentous events from an unusually wide diversity of geographical and thematic perspectives
• Applies historical analysis to inform future events

In light of the recent 40th anniversary, this book brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines to explore Mexico City’s staging of the Olympic Games in 1968. The Games were the first to be hosted by a developing, Spanish-speaking Latin American country, and the chapters investigate the motives behind the IOC’s decision in choosing Mexico as the host, and the international concerns and conclusions regarding its staging of the event. It then moves on to address the issues of developing world identities, the Black American protest, and the Mexican Student Movement as well as examine themes of memory and commemoration, and exploring the ways in which the genres of literature and protest music can enrich our appreciation of this historical event.

Offering an innovative and multi-disciplinary approach to this historically significant event, this book will be of real significance to students and scholars in the field.