Increasing soft power - a case study of South Africa's bid to host the FIFA 2010 World Cup

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study attempts to determine if South Africa was actively attempting to boost itssoft power or symbolic power during the country's bid to host the Fifa 2010 WorldCup. Preceding works dealing with mega-events identified a number of potentialbenefits to the hosting nation. Some of these benefits include opportunities fordevelopment (sport and socio-economic), nation building, urban regeneration, andmarketing. Previous works have focused a great deal on economic and nationbuilding aspects of mega-events. The marketing possibility for a host to develop as atourist destination has also enjoyed some focus.There also exists a large amount of literature dealing with power – its nature,resources and types. There is for instance structural and relational power while, in thetraditional sense, wealth and military might may be seen as power resources.However, the importance and maintenance of soft power – or symbolic or co-optivepower, as defined in this study – has been greatly overshadowed by the traditionalideas of power and as a result, neglected by International Relations scholars.This study links the marketing potential of mega-events with the deployment of softpower. The case study specifically deals with South Africa's World Cup bid as amarketing forum for enhancing the country's soft power. For such an analysis it isnecessary to investigate South Africa's diplomatic status, global position, relationshipwith the North and South, and power resources. The importance of soft power beingessential to South Africa's specific situation, global position and future, is alsoinvestigated.Using the bid for the 2010 World Cup, this study concludes that South Africa wasindeed projecting specifically chosen images of the country with the intention ofenhancing the country's soft power. It is furthermore argued that these images areboth a reflection and in support of South Africa's foreign policy and emerging middlepower position.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University