Qatar 2022 World Cup and Shoots of Change - Research Paper Example

? Globalization and Democracy- Qatar 2022 World Cup and Green Shoots of Change of the English of the Concerned 18 November 2013 Globalization and Democracy- Qatar 2022 World Cup and Green Shoots of Change Introduction If one considers the world view pertaining to sports within the time frame before the advent of globalization, sports were traditionally perceived in an utterly conservative context when it came to the role the sports played in the constitution of national identity and the interaction of culture (Smith & Porter 64). In fact many a times the correlation between sports and nationalism transcended the domain of honest patriotism and degenerated into abject xenophobia and chauvinism (Pauly 8). However, in the current times sports do happen to be an intimate aspect of the much larger and somewhat controversial concept of globalization. It would not be wrong to say that with the intensive mediatization of sports and the technology facilitated broadcast of sports across nations and cultures, sports has emerged to be a common platform of interest and a vehicle for the exchange of values and political influences (Grundy 71). In the light of this fact, one simple can not underestimate the links existent between sports and the facilitation of democracy in today’s globalized world (Jay 51). Qatar being a Gulf nation, the impact of sports and globalization on the nation needs to be considered in the light of the emerging global network of interdependencies and influences and the still fresh Arab Spring. This approach gets even more imperative when one accommodates the fact that Qatar happens to be the host of 2022 FIFA World Cup. Globalization, Sports and Democracy- A Literature Review Globalization is a process that happens to be complex and controversial in its ramifications. Globalization has not only enhanced interstate interdependencies, but also given way to a range of changes in the world (Mott IV 119). There is no denying the fact that democracy and globalization happen to be two of the most profound developments of the contemporary age. Globalization has led to the advent of democracy in many nations. Thereby one is many a time tempted to believe in the premise that globalization and democracy happen to be interrelated and symbiotic and one favors and promotes the other (Kuper 116). It could certainly be believed if one takes into consideration the opening up of economies and the commensurate democratization of the nations of Eastern and Central Europe after the fall of communism (Volten 66). One may readily believe in the veracity of this premise if one considers the opening up of the Latin American nations with the unraveling of the wave of democratization in the 70s (Harrison 166). The international transactions that define globalization do tend to benefit the societies as a whole, it is logical to assume that democracy that makes the political class more accountable to people is a sure shot way to remove the impediments that hinder such transactions. Also, one simply could not shy away from the fact that there exists a positive correlation between the eventual objectives of globalization and the socio-political environment facilitated by democracy (Ringen 262). The exchange of goods and services stimulated by globalization is invariably accompanied by the exchange and sharing of ideas and a sharing of ideas does make the societies politically more comparative and competitive (Henry & Springborg 16). Thereby globalization is indeed poised to pose much of a challenge to the nations that are traditionally non-democratic or autocratic (Archibugi 159). When one considers the political unrest unraveling in the Gulf in the wake of the Arab Spring, one is bound to assume that the influx of ideas in the hitherto closed societies and political systems has indeed motivated people to be politically more aspiring and has facilitated them with the courage to stand against autocratic regimes (Laqueur 175). Thereby such political developments inspire one to acknowledge that globalization that has led to an augmented trans-border exchange of services, goods, capital, cultural products and symbols in the previous three decades that has been equally balanced by a trans-border exchange of ideas and political aspirations (Tsing 56). Thereby globalization has indeed led to a steady expansion of democratic ideas in the hitherto closed societies like the Gulf nations. The very Western notion that people ought to govern themselves through self appointed representatives and that autocratic regimes ought to be opposed and toppled has indeed percolated into the socio-political strata of the East (Amara 68). Going by the fact that the overall process of globalization being dominated by Western notions in the realm of ideas, the very fact that though the essential aspirations associated with globalization happen to be similar, the way democracy unfolds and manifests itself may differ from one region to other (Tsing 11). As in Egypt and Libya, the onslaught of democracy through mass uprisings fomented by the media facilitated exchange of ideas and news is one possible way that the closed societies may chose to democratize themselves (Gelvin 32). However, an impulsive subjugation of democratization to the Western notions of democracy may give way to much instability as one could see in Iraq, Egypt and Libya. Then there are other relatively stable societies like the UAE and Qatar that may opt for the political liberalization of societies through an exchange of cultural ideas and products like art, sports and media (Desbordes 197). Pragmatically speaking, this tends to be a saner approach towards the loosening of the socio-political fabric that acclimatizes the people towards the Western notions of openness and slowly prepares them for more open and free social scenarios in the future. In that context one simply cannot underestimate the link between globalization, sports and the process of democratization. Sports happen to be the most viable medium for the exchange of cultural ideas and products as sports happen to be a universal facet of the transnational popular culture promoted by globalization (Arnaud & Riordan 187). International sports and sporting events are today a product that is consumed across nations and regions, its distribution streamlined by massive media interest and the existent technological options (Roche 230). In the wake of the globalization, the world wide diffusion of contemporary sports and sports events has received an unprecedented flip. This exchange has been encouraged by a range of networking elements like international media and the commercial corporations dealing in sports. Besides, the iconic appeal of the international sports stars is a product that is consumed across nations irrespective of the political affiliations and the dominant political culture. Added to this a developing trend amongst the nations to associate themselves with international sporting events and the associated endorsement, sponsorship and broadcasting arrangements has indeed made sports a conduit for the exchange of political influences and ideas (Fletcher 47). The thing that needs to be recognized about globalization is that the exchange of products and services does not take place in airtight compartments and amidst isolation, but the exchange of commercial items is unavoidably accompanied by the exchange of political ideas and views. This also stands to be true in case of sports as in a globalized world sports and international sporting events are consumer products that are consumed across nations and cultures. Thereby sports do have a major role to play in the democratization of closed societies, and even more so in today’s globalized world because the influx of sports is invariably accompanied by a seeping in of ideas that stimulate political aspirations and goals in politically closed societies. Thereby, globalization has indeed made democracy utterly popular in the hitherto closed societies through the infiltration of the political ideas and concepts along with products and services. In that context sports and sporting events also happen to be commodities that are consumed across cultures and nations. Thereby sports are also a viable conduit for the transfer of political ideas and notions in the societies that were hitherto closed. Impact of Globalization on Qatar and Sports Qatar happens to be a small Gulf nation adjacent to Saudi Arabia that is ruled by Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. In the current context Qatar aspires to become an educational hub in the region. Much of Qatar’s wealth comes from the oil and gas industry and the nation tends to have the third largest GDP per capita in the world (Cordesman 205). Qatar also tends to have the third most abundant gas reserves in the world (Cordesman 205). Hence, in the context of the petrochemical wealth that the nation has at its disposal, it simply could not avoid being influenced by globalization and the concomitant commercial, political and cultural impacts. As already said, in the wake of globalization, the nation has unleashed a program of achieving educational excellence in the region by investing in the requisite human resources, institutions and infrastructure (Hanley 30). Qatar University in response to the rising aspirations of the nation in the light of globalization is laying much stress on research and aspires to become a world class academic institution (Hanley 30). The other salient influence of the globalization in this peninsular nation has been that the health services in the country are comparable to the best in the region. Not only Qatar is pursuing a policy of augmenting the exploitation of technology to reduce its dependence on the non-native manpower, but the country could boast of some of the most ambitious public infrastructure projects in the world. Traditionally being a petro-oriented economy, Qatar is diversifying in response to the global trends by increasing overseas investments and engaging in real estate development (Gad 46). Being a non-democratic nation, the government is planning new media reforms that intend to facilitate an enhanced freedom to media, a development that is directly linked to the influx of global trends (The Middle East 34). The current government is also very proactive about promoting gender equality by actively investing in social awareness and by proactively influencing values and traditions. The justice system in Qatar is more free and independent as compared to other nations in the region with minimal interference evinced by the state. Thereby it goes without saying that this small Gulf nation has not only been immensely influenced by the influx of the contemporary global trends, but is also opening up its doors to the popular global ideas, concepts and products. A legitimate continuation of this opening up policy has been the poised hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup by Qatar. In the context of globalization, it would not be wrong to say that the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup by Qatar will be an event that will not merely influence this small nation, but will rather have a deep impact on the entire region. Football is a sport that has an immense influence on the cultural psyche of the people inhabiting this region and has thereby become a viable conduit for the influx and promotion of global ideas and aspirations (Simonsen 124). Football enjoys immense popularity in Qatar and the people enjoy football as a sport and a sporting event almost as much as anywhere else in the world. It would be apt to mention that as it is in the Western nations, Qatar also has well organized professional football leagues and the football matches hosted here are telecasted live all across the region. Thereby the 2022 World Cup is not a mere sporting event but rather a concept that declares the advent of global ideas in this hitherto closed society. The positive thing is that the government does understand the fact that its plans to engage in a Western style economic and social progress and development will certainly also lead to the influx of global political ideas in the country and democracy will indeed happen to be one such prominent idea. Thereby, the state has been reluctantly but gradually moving in the direction of making the system more open and liberal. It would not be wrong to mention that the still fresh Arab Spring has been a wakeup call for Qatar, as for other non-democratic nations in the region and is poised to usher in multiple political changes and influences. The Municipal Elections held in Qatar in 1999 marked the initiation of the nation’s move towards democratization (Saikal & Schnabel 46). With the country opening up to Western influences and the commensurate advent of Western style sporting events like the FIFA World Cup are bound to influence the nation and the region across multiple parameters. Course of Action for Qatar It will be naive on the part of individuals and nations to assume that they could have a filtering influence on the influx of political ideas infiltrating the non-democratic nations in a globalized world. The nations simply could not play a pick and choose policy when it comes to welcoming the ideas and political influences seeping into the non-democratic systems the world over. The Arab Spring has served as a shocking reminder to the Middle East that not only the democratic values have influenced the closed political setups in the Gulf, accompanying the commercial and pecuniary global transactions, but they have also manifold augmented the political expectations and aspirations of the people in the Middle East. Hence, Qatar being a non-democratic nation that has readily opened up its economy and political space to benefit from the commercial and business ramifications of globalization will have to accommodate itself to the fact that the advent of commercial opportunities has inevitably been accompanied by a commensurate infiltration of the global political ideas. Qatar aspires to lead the nation on a path of Western style economic and social progress and is hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Thereby the politically machinery in the nation ought to gear up to contend with the advent of global political ideas and aspirations. One salient outcome of exposing the Qatar society to Western cultural concepts and products will be that the people will compare their political environment with the political advantages enjoyed by the more open societies and will thereby develop ambitious political aspirations and yearnings. There is nothing abnormal about such developments and they happen to be the natural outcome of the enhanced exposure facilitated by globalization. Learning from the outcomes of the repressive reactions evinced to popular political aspirations in Libya and Egypt, the nation should chalk out a progressive strategy towards democratizing the society in a gradual and systematic manner. In that context, the hosting of events like the 2022 World Cup would play a major role in sensitizing the masses to the global aspirations and norms. A gradual shift towards democratization will allow the nation to deparochialize the predominantly Western notions of democracy and will allow it to open up its political system and the society at a pace and in a manner that is in tandem with its innate culture and moorings. Conclusion The infiltration of the hitherto closed societies with global political ideas and aspirations is the natural outcome of adjusting to a globalized world. Sports being an essential ingredient of the popular culture supported by globalization are bound to act as a conduit for the transference of such political ideas and aspirations. Thereby, the nations like Qatar which though have a closed political culture and which aspire to benefit from the commercial outcomes of globalization are bound to be infiltrated by democratic ideas. Hence, such nations ought to voluntarily embark on a process of gradual democratization, at a pace and in a manner that is in consonance with their culture and values. Works Cited Amara, Mahfoud. “The Muslim World in the Global Sporting Arena”. The Brown Journal of World Affairs Spring 2008: 67-70. Print. Archibugi, Daniele. The Global Commonwealth of Citizens. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2008. Print. Arnaud, Pierre & James Riordan. Sport and International Politics. London: E&FN Spon, 1998. Print. Cordesman, Anthony H. Energy Developments in the Middle East. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2004. Print. 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