Of Mechanisms and Myths: Conceptualising States’ “Soft Power” Strategies through Sports Mega-Events

Jonathan Grix,Paul Michael Brannagan

doi:10.1080/09592296.2016.1169791

Abstract

ABSTRACTJoseph Nye’s concept of “soft power” has become an increasingly used term to help explain why states—including so-called “emerging states”—are paying greater attention to acquiring various forms of cultural and political attraction. However, within mainstream International Relations, Political Science, and Sport Studies literature, a continuous debate remains as to what actually constitutes soft power, how national leaders go about acquiring it, and how forms of attraction convert into power outcomes in both the short- and long-term. This analysis endeavours to overcome these issues by offering an “ideal type” model that details states’ soft power strategies, the mechanisms they use, and the tangible future outcomes they gain.

Highlights

Recent years have seen an increase in the use of Joseph Nye’s concept of ‘soft power’[1] by scholars and commentators attempting to explain why states – including so-called ‘emerging states’ – are seeking to acquire various forms of cultural and political attraction
The focus is on presenting an ‘ideal type’ that goes some way to identifying how states go about acquiring soft power forms, the mechanisms involved, and how these convert into long-term outcomes. This is achieved by drawing on the empirical examples of one Western state (Germany and its hosting of the 2006 FIFA World Cup) and one non-Western state (Qatar’s sport diplomacy) in order to identify the universal applicability of soft power
Further research is needed to develop the ideal type of soft power put forward in this paper

Summary

Paul Michael Brannagan

Within mainstream International Relations, Political Science, and Sport Studies literature, a continuous debate remains as to what constitutes soft power, how national leaders go about acquiring it, and how forms of attraction convert into power outcomes in both the short- and long-term. This paper endeavours to overcome these issues by offering an ‘Ideal-Type’ model which details states’ soft power strategies, the mechanisms they use, and the tangible future outcomes they gain. Crucial background information on the various national authorities engaged with to arrive at the ideal type is offered, along with a discussion of the research methods used. The paper advances an ideal-type model of a state’s soft power strategy, explicitly detailing, in the process, the considerations and rationale behind the design.

Introduction

Methods

Included Document Sources

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Conclusion