INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The geopolitics of football ⚽️

I know what you’re thinking. Football? What do the worlds of Real Madrid and high politics have in common? Well, more than you would think. As we speak, the world of professional football appears to turn as normal. The Premier League continues to flex its financial muscle whilst its European competitors struggle to keep up, all the while accompanied by the ever-controversial FIFA. And yet, we have recently seen seismic changes in the football landscape. Out of nowhere, the Saudi Pro League has established itself as a major force, spending astronomical amounts of money and slowly accumulating many famous players. Whilst most of these players happen to be past their prime, many in Europe are increasingly nervous at their newest competitor.

Why this sudden change? Well, the rise of the Saudi league is no mere accident. Rather, it is part of a state-backed initiative to raise the profile of Saudi Arabia abroad, ‘sports washing’ as it is known in many quarters. In fact, the closer one looks, the more the football landscape resembles a high-stakes game of geopolitical chess, as the Saudis, Qataris and countless other states takeover clubs, invest in leagues and engage in highly personal spats in a bid to change international perceptions and gain geopolitical clout.

💡 Things to consider

• Hard power versus soft power: Traditional takes on international relations emphasise the role of ‘hard’ power in determining a state’s influence. But is international influence really determined just by the size of one’s economy or military? Discuss what the case of Saudi sports washing in the footballing world suggests about the importance of appearance and reputation, or ‘soft’ power, in geopolitics.

• Why sports washing? Sports washing may appear to be a relatively new phenomenon, but is in fact quite common historically – think the Soviet 1980 Olympics, for example. Consider why this kind of behaviour is typically employed by authoritarian states. Also, why might such states deliberately target those sporting competitions most popular in the Western world?

  

  No, not that kind of washing…

• The influence of soft power: sports washing is not the only form of soft power. There are countless more subtle examples of its usage. Sometimes, these can be accidental. For example, US soft power probably owes more to Hollywood than any deliberate government policy. Consider the UK and its overseas influence. What might strengthen UK soft power? What might curtail it?

🔎 Find out more

• Soft Power in 2023 Geopolitics

🍒 The cherry on top

• 💰 Why Everyone Should Learn Economics: Economics isn’t just about money: it’s about understanding the choices we make and the world around us. This article argues that a basic grasp of economics can help us navigate personal decisions, public policies, and global challenges more effectively. Perfect for students interested in Economics, Politics, or Sociology!

• 🌎 Climate Change and Natural Disasters: How do we measure the effect that humans’ actions are having on extreme weather across the globe? As we near the end of a year full of natural disasters and extreme weather, most notably the recent floods in Valencia, it is time now more than ever to reassess the impact of humans’ collective actions. This is a great read for those interested in Geography or Chemistry.

• 🎮 Video Games and Violence: Most parents probably complain that their children spend too much time playing video games, and not enough time in the real world. Many worry that violent video games produce violent children. But is there actually any scientific evidence for this? Check out this webpage for a greater insight, with a link to the original research paper. This is an interesting read for anyone interested in Psychology, Sociology or Digital Technology.

👀 Keep your eyes peeled for…

• 10th December

  • Middlesex Biomedical Sciences Webinar

  • Middlesex Computing Webinar

  • Middlesex Psychology Webinar

  • Oxford Chiral Chemistry Workshop

  • UEA Managing Money at University Webinar

• 11th December

  • Middlesex Accounting, Banking, Finance and Economics Webinar

  • Middlesex Business Management Webinar

  • Middlesex Law and Criminology Webinar

  • QMUL Creative Writing Workshop

  • Reading Sociology Taster Webinar

• 12th December

  • Middlesex Midwifery Webinar

  • Middlesex Nursing Webinar

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