bs_bs_banner The Geographical Journal, 2013, doi: 10.1111/geoj.12033 Interacting forms of expertise and authority in mega-event security: the example of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games FRANCISCO R KLAUSER Institut de Géographie, Université de Neuchâtel, Espace Louis-Agassiz 1, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland E-mail:
[email protected] This paper was accepted for publication in March 2013 This paper explores the interests, forms of expertise and sources of authority in security governance at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. To do so, the research approach pursued here focuses on the micro level, locating the various contributions to event security in the context of a particular range of projects and decisions relating to the planning and instauration of Olympic venue security. On this basis, the paper empirically explores how security governance at sport mega events, as the outcome of complex negotiations, permeates and shapes particular places and projects during the event. This investigation also brings to the fore a number of more fundamental insights with regard to the processes, relationships and interests underpinning security governance in the post-9/11 context. KEY WORDS: sport mega events, security, surveillance, city, 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, expertise thermore, drawing upon the mega-event case study, Introduction the paper also provides a rare insight into the internal his paper explores the interests, forms of exper- logics and driving forces underpinning some of the tise and sources of authority in security govern- most salient developments in contemporary security T ance at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. matters, including current trends of privatisation More specifically, drawing upon 11 in-depth inter- and exemplification of specific security solutions and views conducted with key stakeholders in the policing partnerships.