Does Sportswashing Work? First Insights from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Does Sportswashing Work? First Insights from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. / Gläßel, Christian; Scharpf, Adam; Pearce, Edward J.

In: Journal of Politics, 01.04.2024, p. 1-11.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Gläßel, C, Scharpf, A & Pearce, EJ 2024, 'Does Sportswashing Work? First Insights from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar', Journal of Politics, pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1086/730728

APA

Gläßel, C., Scharpf, A., & Pearce, E. J. (Accepted/In press). Does Sportswashing Work? First Insights from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Journal of Politics, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1086/730728

Vancouver

Gläßel C, Scharpf A, Pearce EJ. Does Sportswashing Work? First Insights from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Journal of Politics. 2024 Apr 1;1-11. https://doi.org/10.1086/730728

Author

Gläßel, Christian ; Scharpf, Adam ; Pearce, Edward J. / Does Sportswashing Work? First Insights from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In: Journal of Politics. 2024 ; pp. 1-11.

Bibtex

@article{4edbf663994b48ec9ba09e33760b0708,
title = "Does Sportswashing Work? First Insights from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar",
abstract = "Can autocrats use major sports tournaments to shift public opinion abroad? This short article conducts the first social scientific test of whether authoritarian host regimes win the desired image boost through sports mega-events. We analyze original data from a two-wave public opinion survey in Germany fielded before and right after the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. We find that among German respondents, the tournament start i) did not improve Qatar's image, but ii) increased sympathies for the Arab world, and iii) fueled criticism of the media, the quality of democracy, and the inclusion of minorities within Germany. Our findings reveal that international sports events may benefit an autocrat's entire region, while heightening polarization in foreign democracies. Together, this offers first insights into the various effects of sportswashing and autocratic image campaigns.",
keywords = "Faculty of Social Sciences, Football, Media, Dictatorship, Polarization, Soft power",
author = "Christian Gl{\"a}{\ss}el and Adam Scharpf and Pearce, {Edward J}",
year = "2024",
month = apr,
day = "1",
doi = "https://doi.org/10.1086/730728",
language = "English",
pages = "1--11",
journal = "Journal of Politics",
issn = "0022-3816",
publisher = "University of Chicago Press",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Does Sportswashing Work? First Insights from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

AU - Gläßel, Christian

AU - Scharpf, Adam

AU - Pearce, Edward J

PY - 2024/4/1

Y1 - 2024/4/1

N2 - Can autocrats use major sports tournaments to shift public opinion abroad? This short article conducts the first social scientific test of whether authoritarian host regimes win the desired image boost through sports mega-events. We analyze original data from a two-wave public opinion survey in Germany fielded before and right after the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. We find that among German respondents, the tournament start i) did not improve Qatar's image, but ii) increased sympathies for the Arab world, and iii) fueled criticism of the media, the quality of democracy, and the inclusion of minorities within Germany. Our findings reveal that international sports events may benefit an autocrat's entire region, while heightening polarization in foreign democracies. Together, this offers first insights into the various effects of sportswashing and autocratic image campaigns.

AB - Can autocrats use major sports tournaments to shift public opinion abroad? This short article conducts the first social scientific test of whether authoritarian host regimes win the desired image boost through sports mega-events. We analyze original data from a two-wave public opinion survey in Germany fielded before and right after the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. We find that among German respondents, the tournament start i) did not improve Qatar's image, but ii) increased sympathies for the Arab world, and iii) fueled criticism of the media, the quality of democracy, and the inclusion of minorities within Germany. Our findings reveal that international sports events may benefit an autocrat's entire region, while heightening polarization in foreign democracies. Together, this offers first insights into the various effects of sportswashing and autocratic image campaigns.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Football

KW - Media

KW - Dictatorship

KW - Polarization

KW - Soft power

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1086/730728

DO - https://doi.org/10.1086/730728

M3 - Journal article

SP - 1

EP - 11

JO - Journal of Politics

JF - Journal of Politics

SN - 0022-3816

ER -

ID: 388371433