Conventionally, politicians and diplomats defined power as the control over a territory and its population, the possession of natural resources, economic size, military force, and internal political stability. Today, this emphasis on using military force to exert control over a territory, its population and its natural resources which marked earlier eras is losing significance. Factors such as technology, education and economic growth are becoming more important in the international struggle for power. As the great powers of today are less able to use their traditional power resources to achieve their goals, private actors and small states have become more powerful. Joseph Nye identified five trends which contributed to this diffusion of power: economic interdependence, transnational actors, nationalism in weak states, the spread of technology and changing political issues. He argued that these trends suggest a second, more attractive way of exercising power than traditional means, and called this aspect of power “co-optive” or “soft” power.
Since the end of the Cold War, the concept of soft power has been used extensively in discussions about US foreign policy and has more recently also been used to describe China's foreign policy. But far less attention has been given to how this term can be used in other cultural contexts to describe intra-regional politics, such as in the Middle East. Turkey and Qatar are two countries that try to navigate through this dangerous region in a different way. But what they have in common is that they both managed to improve their reputation and increase their visibility in the past decade. This has translated this into increased policy impact on the regional and global stage. Is the concept of soft power useful to explain the increased power of attraction that emanates from these countries? (...)
This bachelor thesis will use the concept of soft power to explain Turkish and Qatari foreign policies over the past decade, as well as the most recent developments. It also aims to elucidate why both of the countries have built up their soft power resources, and does so by focusing on the concept of “human security”.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Soft Power Defined
3. Recent History
4. Sources of Soft Power
5. Soft Power for Human Security?
6. The Situation Today
7. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This dissertation examines the evolving role of soft power in Middle Eastern politics, specifically focusing on how Turkey and Qatar have leveraged this concept to enhance their regional influence and provide human security for their populations in a volatile geopolitical environment.
- Analysis of soft power as a tool for state-branding and regional diplomacy.
- Comparative study of Turkish and Qatari foreign policy transitions.
- Evaluation of the impact of economic resources and cultural projection on state influence.
- Examination of the "human security" concept as a rationale for foreign policy strategies.
- Assessment of how the "Arab Spring" has challenged these states' soft power resources.
Excerpt from the Book
Introduction
Conventionally, politicians and diplomats defined power as the control over a territory and its population, the possession of natural resources, economic size, military force, and internal political stability. Today, this emphasis on using military force to exert control over a territory, its population and its natural resources which marked earlier eras is losing significance. Factors such as technology, education and economic growth are becoming more important in the international struggle for power. As the great powers of today are less able to use their traditional power resources to achieve their goals, private actors and small states have become more powerful. Joseph Nye (1990) identified five trends which contributed to this diffusion of power: economic interdependence, transnational actors, nationalism in weak states, the spread of technology and changing political issues. He argued that these trends suggest a second, more attractive way of exercising power than traditional means, and called this aspect of power “co-optive” or “soft” power.
Since the end of the Cold War, the concept of soft power has been used extensively in discussions about US foreign policy and has more recently also been used to describe China's foreign policy. But far less attention has been given to how this term can be used in other cultural contexts to describe intra-regional politics, such as in the Middle East (Rubin 2010). Turkey and Qatar are two countries that try to navigate through this dangerous region in a different way. But what they have in common is that they both managed to improve their reputation and increase their visibility in the past decade. This has translated this into increased policy impact on the regional and global stage. Is the concept of soft power useful to explain the increased power of attraction that emanates from these countries?
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides a theoretical foundation for soft power and introduces Turkey and Qatar as case studies for expanding influence in the Middle East.
Soft Power Defined: Examines Joseph Nye’s definitions of hard and soft power, identifying culture, political values, and foreign policy as key resources.
Recent History: Outlines the historical context of Qatar and Turkey, focusing on structural shifts and the rise of these nations as significant regional actors.
Sources of Soft Power: Analyzes specific cultural, political, and economic assets used by both states to project influence and gain international prominence.
Soft Power for Human Security?: Argues that Turkey and Qatar use their soft power primarily to enhance security and stability for their populations in a volatile region.
The Situation Today: Evaluates how the "Arab Spring" has impacted the effectiveness of Turkish and Qatari soft power and their foreign policy strategies.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, warning that aggressive interventionist policies may threaten the hard-earned soft power both nations have accumulated.
Keywords
Soft power, Middle East, Turkey, Qatar, Foreign policy, Human security, Arab Spring, Geopolitics, State-branding, Diplomacy, Regional influence, Economic growth, Cultural projection, International relations, Sovereignty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work investigates the importance and evolution of soft power as a strategic tool for Turkey and Qatar within the changing political landscape of the Middle East.
What are the central themes of the analysis?
The research explores state-branding, economic diplomacy, the transition from traditional to soft power strategies, and the integration of the "human security" concept into foreign policy.
What is the core research goal?
The dissertation aims to determine if the concept of soft power successfully explains the increased attractiveness and regional policy impact of Turkey and Qatar over the last decade.
Which methodology is applied?
The author uses a qualitative approach, employing Joseph Nye’s framework of soft power to analyze case studies of Turkey and Qatar through historical context and recent political developments.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the theoretical definition of soft power, historical background, an examination of specific cultural and economic resources, the relationship between soft power and human security, and a detailed assessment of reactions to the Arab Spring.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include soft power, Middle East, geopolitics, foreign policy, human security, and regional influence.
How does Qatar utilize its soft power resources differently than Turkey?
While both use cultural and economic assets, Qatar has focused heavily on media influence (Al-Jazeera) and hosting high-profile international events to brand itself, whereas Turkey emphasizes its democratic model and regional economic integration.
Why does the author argue that the "Arab Spring" is a turning point for these nations?
The author suggests that the transition from neutral mediation to interventionist policies in Libya and Syria has jeopardized the reputation and soft power assets that both nations spent years building.
- Quote paper
- Constantin Wiegand (Author), 2013, Turkey, Qatar and the evolution of soft power in a changing Middle East, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/283838
