In 2022, Qatar will become the first Middle-Eastern country to ever host the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. Yet, this event is politically and historically...Show moreIn 2022, Qatar will become the first Middle-Eastern country to ever host the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. Yet, this event is politically and historically charged and gave rise to abounding international contestations. Previous research finds Qatar being accused of bribery to FIFA officials, mistreatment of migrant workers and the consequent lack of conformity to international labor rights. Thus, this thesis focuses on how Qatar’s soft power strategies can be beneficial in reforming the country’s legislation on the migrant labor system. This is done through the analysis of the soft empowerment-soft disempowerment nexus following Qatar obtaining the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in 2010. This study concludes that there is a positive correlation between Qatar’s disempowerment and the adoption of domestic reforms on the country’s laws detrimental to the migrant labor.Show less
