A study conducted by the Ibn Khaldon Center for Humanities at Qatar University (QU), undertaken by Professor Anwaar Nagib Al-Bakry, Assistant Research Professor, and Professor Sara Ali Al-Sallabi, Assistant Researcher, has focused on the constitutional aspect of activating the soft power. It explores the role that the constitution and legislation may play in shaping Qatar's image among the visiting public during the hosting of the 2022 World Cup. The study investigates Qatar's constitutional identity from cultural and social perspectives, examining the constitutional determinants of the country's cultural and social identity, as well as the elements of soft power enshrined in the constitution and their potential impact on the organization of the 2022 World Cup. The study employs an inductive-analytical approach, supplemented by interviews with a distinguished group of specialists.
This study is part of the project “Culture as a Tool for Soft Power: Hosting the 2022 World Cup as a Model,” which aims to shed light on the constitutional aspect of activating soft power and the role of the constitution and legislation in shaping Qatar's image among the visiting public during the hosting of the 2022 World Cup. The study seeks to articulate Qatar's constitutional identity from cultural and social perspectives and examine how these factors impact the event, in an attempt to understand the elements of the soft power stipulated in the constitution, particularly in terms of racial and religious affiliations, as well as the components and foundations of the social system as defined by the constitution.
The study was divided into two main sections. The first section explores the cultural identity determinants within the Qatari constitution and their implications for the 2022 World Cup. The first subsection highlights the crucial role of Arab identity in Qatar's cultural identity and its reflection on the event, while the second subsection highlights the significance of Islamic identity and its impact on Qatar's cultural identity and the event. The second section examines the social determinants within the Qatari constitution and their influence on organizing the 2022 World Cup. It addresses this issue through two subsections: the first reveals the constitutional components of Qatar's social fabric and their impact on the event, while the second subsection explores the pillars of Qatar's social system and their reflection on the event.
The study concludes with numerous findings and recommendations, including the impact of racial and religious dimensions on the event and the reflection of the social system's foundations. It emphasizes the importance of raising awareness among the visiting public about the relevant legislation and applying the principle of balancing benefits and harms based on legal foundations.
The study reached multiple conclusions, the most important of which is that the Qatari constitution defines the determinants of cultural identity by emphasizing racial and religious affiliations. It highlights the fundamental nature of Arab identity, which is manifested through the Arabic language's primary role in the public sphere of the event, including advertisements, publications, and tickets, alongside the official language agreed upon with the Federation Internationale Football Association (FIFA). However, in terms of Arab and Gulf-related ethnicities, there is no significant impact on the event, as FIFA's regulations prohibit any form of discrimination, implying that no privileges should be granted to specific groups.
Additionally, the Qatari constitution states that the religion of the state is Islam, thereby settling any controversy regarding the religious affiliation of the country. This aspect is reflected in the legislative context, where certain international requirements for organizing the event clash with Islamic principles, particularly concerning the consumption of alcohol and the hosting of the Zionist entity. From a legal perspective, these practices contradict the existing laws of the country, creating a gap between reality and legal provisions. Some argue that the state has successfully struck a balance between conflicting factors by limiting certain practices. However, others maintain that such conflicts are explicit violations of the constitution and that the idea of customary rules, which allows the state to suspend the law in this context, cannot be applied. They argue that the concept of an exceptional event, which justifies such suspensions, does not apply to the organizational aspects covered by the legal framework.
The study also demonstrated that Qatar's social fabric comprises two essential components: citizens and residents. Each component encompasses various categories, which differ in terms of rights. In the case of the visiting public, they are commonly referred to as “expatriates” in legal terminology, and they are not considered part of the social fabric. Instead, they interact with it without actively contributing to its formation.
It is worth noting that the social system in Qatar is based on five fundamental pillars: religion and ethics, law and nationality, education and culture, finance and economy, and security and safety. Each of these pillars has some degree of influence on the event. The pillar of religion and ethics directly affects the constitutional obligation to engage with other foreign cultures in accordance with religious and ethical values. The reflection of the law and nationality pillar is evident in the implementation of the principle of equality before the law and in the citizens' perception of citizenship and belonging, which is reflected in their actions and portrays a certain image of their country.