People, Places, Power | Season 2, Episode 45: Bridging the Gulf: Reputation and the Gulf States

Note from the CPD Blog Manager: This post features the podcast People, Places, Power co-hosted by CPD Faculty Fellow Nicholas J. Cull and Good Country Index founder Simon Anholt and features their weekly discussions on international reputation, foreign policy and related issues along the way. 

Season 2 launched in May 2022 and covers nation-ranking indices, the impact of COVID-19 on national images, branding indices, transnational issues and much more.

Season 1: Ep. 1: Biden's America | Ep. 2: Brexit Britain | Ep. 3: In Search of the Good Leader | Ep. 4: The European Union | Ep. 5: What Price Monarchy? | Ep. 6:  Cities and International Image | Ep. 7: Mega Events? Buyer Beware. | Ep. 8: Germany: From Pariah to Paragon | Ep. 9: Culture: Decorative or Useful? | Ep. 10: Can Individuals Make a Difference? | Ep. 11: Migration Nations | Ep: 12: Credible India? | Ep. 13: The Bad Image | Ep. 14: Populism | Ep. 15: Oh, Canada! | Ep. 16: Digital Disruption: New Technology & Soft Power | Ep. 17: Japan at the Crossroads I Ep. 18: Scotland's Next Step | Ep. 19 Public Diplomacy and Place Branding | Ep. 20: The Talent Trade: Who's Looking for Einstein? | Ep. 21: France: Trouble at the Top? | Ep. 22: Systems and Structures: Organizing Public Diplomacy | Ep. 23: Trust: The Linchpin of Reputation | Ep. 24: Nordics: The Saga of Success? | Ep. 25: The Media: Friends or Foes of Country Image? | Ep. 26:  Israel: Branded by Conflict? | Ep. 27: Afghanistan

Season 2: Ep. 28: War in Ukraine | Ep. 29: Meet the Goodest: The Good Country Index for 2022 | Ep. 30: Issues in the Index: The Nation Brands Index, 2021 | Episode 31: Honest to God: The Image of Religions and other Transnational Groups | Episode 32: COVID-19, Image, Media and Communication | Ep. 33: What’s in a Name? Renaming Places as a Strategic Gambit | Ep. 34: The Power of “From:” The Country-of-Origin Effect | Ep. 35: Northern Ireland Peace and the Challenge of 'Relevance' | Ep. 36: The Power of Language | Ep. 37: For the Love of Mexico | Ep. 38: Of Greenwashing and 'Hipster Nations' | Ep. 39:  Italy: Rising or Falling? | Ep. 40: Nations and Truth: International Reputation in an Age of Disinformation | Ep. 41: Visions of Progress and Country Image | Ep. 42: All About Me? National Images and Personal Identity | Ep. 43: Britain in Transition: The UK's Image and the New King and Prime Minister | Ep. 44: Weighing Image Strategies for Low-Income Countries

Episode 45: Bridging the Gulf: Reputation and the Gulf States

This episode considers the reputation of the Gulf and its most prominent actors including not only the nation states like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE but city-state actors like Dubai. First, Simon makes the case that the Gulf is a case of a region's pre-existing negative image dominating perception of constituent parts. He doubts the efficacy of most responses in the circumstance. The conversation includes the perception of Saudi Arabia intimidating and the unlikelihood that the FIFA World Cup in Qatar will help that country's image. Nick raises the positive case of the Abraham Accords as an example of realities changing behind the image. The pair agree that initiatives from the region are frequently impressive but are undermined by a lack of connectivity. Nick suggests that the problem may be the lack of interest of regional royal families in genuine change. He points to particular cases of human rights abuse and royals placing themselves above the law as flaws. Simon argues that there is a fundamental failure of people in the region to understand the values of others and vice versa. The Gulf remains unbridged.