Episode 20: Communist vs. Capitalist Sport with Johanna Mellis

**HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT: Tune into this week's episode for a BIG announcement about the future of The End of Sport!**

In this episode, Derek and Nathan speak with Dr. Johanna Mellis, Assistant Professor of History at Ursinus College, to discuss her brilliant recent scholarly articles “From Defectors to Cooperators: The Impact of 1956 on Athletes, Sport Leaders, and Sport Policy in Socialist Hungary” and“Cold War Politics and the California Running Scene.”

Johanna takes Derek and Nathan through a fascinating period of history in order to explain why traditional assumptions about sport in the Soviet Bloc need to be revised, particularly in the context of a more critical understanding of amateurism and US capitalist sport.

In the latter part of the conversation, Johanna shares painful personal experiences with sexual harassment and the toxicity of sport culture from her career as an elite swimmer and the impact they have had on her identity and development as both academic and coach. 

**We discuss sensitive and disturbing issues related to sexual harassment and abuse in sport during this episode from 1:20 - 1:30, please consider this before listening**

You can find Dr. Johanna Mellis on Twitter @JohannaMellis.

For a transcription of this episode click here. 

__________________________________________________________________________

 

As always, please like, share, and rate us on your favorite podcast app, and give follow us on Twitter or Instagram.

@Derekcrim

@JohannaMellis

@Nkalamb

@EndofSportPod

www.TheEndofSport.com

 

**For a transcription of this episode please click here. Huge thanks to @Punkadmic for making this happen!**