Dr Paul Michael Brannagan
Dr Paul Michael Brannagan BA (Hons), MSc, PhD
Reader in Sport Management and Policy
My profile
Biography
Paul’s research primarily focuses on the ways in which national governments seek to invest in, and use, global sport and major sports events to achieve certain economic, social and/or political objectives.
To-date, Paul’s research has centred most specifically on sport in the Middle East, with a particular focus on the State of Qatar and its staging of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Through this, Paul has uncovered the crucial role sport seeks to play in achieving Qatar’s long-term political and socio-economic development goals. His analysis of Qatar, as well as other states such as Brazil, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Costa Rica and Fiji has added to understandings of how small, medium and large countries the world over look to draw on global sporting forms in order to achieve key domestic and international objectives. Outside of sport, Paul’s work has also contributed to key mainstream International Relations debates, with specific reference to the popular concept of ‘soft power’.
Paul’s research has been published in leading mainstream journals, including International Affairs, Third World Quarterly, Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, Leisure Studies, Journal of Political Power, Global Society, Diplomacy and Statecraft, and Sustainability. He is also author of the book ‘Qatar and the 2022 FIFA World Cup: politics, controversy, change’ (Palgrave, 2022), the co-editor of the ‘Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East’ (Routledge, 2022), co-author of ‘Entering the Global Arena: Emerging States, Soft Power Strategies and Sports Mega-Events’ (Palgrave, 2019), co-editor of ‘Comparative Elite Sport Development: 2nd edition’ (Routledge, 2023), and author of ‘Big Games: small state politics and global sport’ (Palgrave, 2024). Paul’s books have been reviewed by various notable organizations, including London Review of Books, The Middle East Journal, and The Sunday Times.
Paul has been invited to present and discuss his research at multiple prestigious institutions across the world, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Georgetown University, the United Kingdom’s House of Lords, Amnesty International, Chatham House, the International Studies Association, the Political Studies Association, the University of Manchester, and the Washington D.C. based Gulf International Forum. He has also frequently been interviewed and quoted by major global media outlets, such as The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Financial Times, Sky Sports News, The New York Times, Sky News, BBC World Service, BBC News, Amazon Prime, CBC, Radio 5 Live, The Independent, Monocle 24, Reuters, Business Leader Magazine, The Athletic and Deutsche Welle. Furthermore, Paul has written various opinion pieces on the management and politics of sport, which have been published by organizations such as the Washington Post, E-International Relations, and the International Centre for Sports Security.
In 2018, Paul oversaw the design and implementation of our hugely popular MSc in Sport Business, Management & Policy, and then subsequently occupied the position of ‘Programme Lead’ for this postgraduate degree until 2022. In the academic year 2020-2021, Paul also acted as ‘Interim Programme Lead’ of our MSc in International Business Management.
Paul is also currently the International Lead for the Department of People & Performance and has been instrumental in successfully growing the Faculty’s international student cohort, particularly at postgraduate level.
Academic and Professional Qualifications
PhD (Loughborough University)
MSc Sociology of Sport (Loughborough University)
BA Sports Studies (Southampton Solent University)
Board Membership
Board Member & Treasurer - Political Studies Association (Sport Politics Working Group) - 2019-present
Prizes and Awards
2018: ‘Chatham House Podcast Episode of the Year’. See: https://medium.com/international-affairs-blog/top-5-episodes-undercurrents-b26d2a19358b
2018: ‘Future Economies Research Centre Best Paper Award’. For: Brannagan, P. M., & Giulianotti, R. (2018). The soft power–soft disempowerment nexus: the case of Qatar. International Affairs, 94(5), 1139-1157.
2018: ‘Sport Policy Unit Best Paper Award’. For: Brannagan, P. M., & Giulianotti, R. (2018). The soft power–soft disempowerment nexus: the case of Qatar. International Affairs, 94(5), 1139-1157.
2022: The Sunday Times Book Review for ‘Qatar and the 2022 FIFA World Cup: politics, controversy, change’. See: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/qatar-and-the-2022-fifa-world-cup-by-paul-michael-brannagan-and-danyel-reiche-review-xkq38n0m5
2023: International Impact Award - Manchester Metropolitan University Staff Awards (nominated)
Teaching
Teaching Experience
Paul’s expertise covers a wide-range of teaching experience, having previously designed, lead and/or delivered units on the following topics:
- Sports Business and Management
- Sports Events Management
- Sports Strategic Management
- Sports Development
- Global Issues in Sport
- Sports Politics
- Sports Policy
- Sport and Social Issues
- Masters-Level Learning in Sport
- Research Methods in Sport
Since joining Manchester Met, Paul has contributed to our undergraduate BSc Sports Management and BSc Sports Marketing Management degree programmes, and in the academic year 2017-2018, Paul was the Year Tutor for our Level 4 BSc Sports Management and BSc Sports Marketing Management students.
Presently, Paul is the unit leader for our MSc ‘Masters Level Learning’ and MSc ‘Sports Events Management and Policy’ units, and the coordinator of our MSc Dissertations.
Course Development
In 2018, Paul oversaw the design and implementation of our hugely popular MSc in Sport Business, Management & Policy, and then subsequently occupied the position of ‘Programme Lead’ for this postgraduate degree until 2022. In the academic year 2020-2021, Paul also acted as ‘Interim Programme Lead’ of our MSc in International Business Management.
Paul also previously contributed to the design, development and implementation of the Global Online version of our MSc in Sport Business, Management & Policy, run in collaboration with the Pearson Education Group.
Leadership
Since 2019, Paul has acted as the International Lead for the Department of Economics, Policy & International Business. Through this, Paul has been instrumental in successfully growing the Department’s international student cohort, particularly at postgraduate level. Since 2020, Paul has also sat on the University’s China Strategic Working Group, and in 2022-2023, Paul oversaw the Department’s introduction of a postgraduate January entry point.
In his role as International Lead, Paul has strategically forged key partnerships with prestigious overseas universities, including the Memorandum of Understanding agreement that was signed in 2020 between Manchester Met and Shanghai University of Sport (the number 1 ranked sports university in Asia), and MMU’s signed agreement in 2021 with Rikkyo University (a top 5 sport university in Japan).
In 2022, Paul sat on the Faculty of Business and Law panel that was interviewed by EQUIS as part of the School’s successful re-accreditation process.
Subject Areas of Interest
International Relations, Sport Politics, Sport Management, Events Management, Sports Business
External Examiner Roles
University College Dublin - BSc Sport & Exercise Management and MSc Sport Management - 2019-2020
University of East London - MSc Workplace Diversity in Sport - 2022-present
Courses
Supervision
Postgraduate Research Supervision (PhD)
Completions
- Dr Tom Bason (completed/passed, December 2019). PhD Thesis Title: ‘Every Loser Wins? Leveraging the Olympic Bid’ (Second Supervisor).
- Dr Brian Jeong (completed/passed, January 2022). PhD Thesis Title: ‘How hosting Sport Mega-Events influences a nation’s soft power: A new rise of East Asia’ (Second Supervisor).
- Dr Lorraine Bedwell(completed/passed, September 2022). PhD Thesis Title: ‘Premier League Footballers: Knowledge sharing and peer learning’ (Lead Supervisor).
- Dr Luci Smith (completed/passed, December 2022). PhD Thesis Title: ‘The Transition Experiences of Professional Football Players during International Loan Transfers’ (Lead Supervisor).
- Dr Dominic Edwards (completed/passed, February 2023). PhD Thesis Title: ‘The Making of British Professional Footballers: Understanding the Transition from Youth-to-First-Team in International Football’ (Lead Supervisor).
In Progress
- Zachary Weir (started October 2023). PhD Thesis Title: ‘The Future Development of European Club Football. In light of the failed European Super League, how can European club football develop/evolve whilst maintaining fan support?’ (Lead Supervisor)
- Francesca Matthews (started October 2021). PhD Thesis Title: ‘The Sustainability of Contact Sport: Evaluating Rugby’s Future’ (Lead Supervisor)
- Billy Fleury (started January 2021). PhD Thesis Title: ‘Dealing with Rejection from Premier League Football Acadamies’ (Lead Supervisor).
- Allister Webb (started October 2018). PhD Thesis Title: ‘Regional Identities and Global Sport: the case of English cricket’ (Lead Supervisor).
PhD Viva Examination
- Dr Louisa Hallas. PhD Thesis Title: ‘The Impact of Modernisation on Sport Policy Delivery in the Home Countries’ (Internal Examiner, September, 2021)
- Thomas Newham. PhD Thesis Title: ‘Classification of eSports Events and Impact of Video Game Business Models’ (Internal Examiner, January, 2023)
Research outputs
-
Books (authored/edited/special issues)
Brannagan, P., Reiche, D. (2022) Qatar and the 2022 FIFA World Cup: politics, controversy, change. Palgrave.
Brannagan, P., Reiche, D. (2022) The Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East. Routledge.
Grix, J., Brannagan, P., Lee, D. (2019) Entering the Global Arena: Emerging States, Soft Power Strategies and Sports Mega-Events. Palgrave Macmillan.
-
Chapters in books
Brannagan, P.M. (2022) 'GLOBAL SPORT AND HUMAN CAPITAL SOFT POWER: The Case of Qatar.' Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East. pp. 163-175.
Reiche, D., Brannagan, P.M. (2022) 'INTRODUCTION: Sport in the Middle East: Towards More Inclusive and Collaborative Efforts?.' Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East. pp. 1-9.
Brannagan, P.M., Giulianotti, R. (2014) 'Qatar, global sport and the 2022 FIFA world cup.' Leveraging Legacies from Sports Mega-Events: Concepts and Cases. pp. 154-165.
Brannagan, P.M.T., Giulianotti, R. (2014) 'Chapter 14: Qatar, Global Sport, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.' Leveraging Legacies from Sports Mega-Events: concepts and cases. Palgrave, pp. 154-165.
-
Internet publications
Brannagan, P. (2023) Why Qatar’s World Cup was controversial a decade before the first game. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/15/qater-fifa-worldcup-2022-labor/.
Brannagan, P.M.T., Mubanga, I.J., De Wolff, M. (2014) Qatar: a first-hand account of soft power. http://www.e-ir.info/2014/03/20/the-state-of-qatar-a-first-hand-account-of-soft-power/.
Brannagan, P.M.T., Grix, J. (2014) Qatar’s Soft Power Gamble: the FIFA World Cup 2022. http://www.e-ir.info/2014/01/18/qatars-soft-power-gamble-the-fifa-world-cup-2022/.
-
Journal articles
Edwards, D., Brannagan, P.M. (2024) 'Dealing with de-selection from youth international football: a case study of English Premier League academies.' International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 19(4) pp. 1776-1784.
Grix, J., Brannagan, P.M. (2024) 'Sports Mega-Events as Foreign Policy: Sport Diplomacy, “Soft Power,” and “Sportswashing”.' American Behavioral Scientist,
Grix, J., Widdop, P., Brannagan, P.M. (2024) 'Counting the ‘capital’ cost of the UK’s elite sport funding focus.' International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, pp. 1-12.
Brannagan, P.M., Giulianotti, R. (2023) 'Unlocking the whole of soft power: a quantum international relations analysis.' Journal of Political Power, 16(3) pp. 301-321.
Edwards, D., Brannagan, P.M. (2023) 'Navigating the club-to-international transition process: an exploration of English Premier League youth footballers’ experiences.' International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 18(5) pp. 1487-1500.
Brannagan, P.M., Grix, J. (2023) 'Nation-state strategies for human capital development: the case of sports mega-events in Qatar.' Third World Quarterly, 44(8) pp. 1807-1824.
Brannagan, P.M., Reiche, D., Bedwell, L. (2023) 'Mass social change and identity hybridization: the case of Qatar and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.' Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 30(6) pp. 900-918.
Grix, J., Dinsmore, A., Brannagan, P.M. (2023) 'Unpacking the politics of ‘sportswashing’: it takes two to tango.' Politics,
Brannagan, P.M., Perkin, S.J. (2023) 'Soft Power as “Beauty, Brilliance, Benignity”: The Case of the Aspire Zone Elite Sports Complex in Qatar.' Journal of Arabian Studies, 13(1) pp. 91-109.
Brannagan, P., Scelles, N., Valenti, M., Inoue, Y., Grix, J., Perkin, S. (2022) 'The 2021 European Super League Attempt: motivation, outcome, and the future of football.' International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 14(1) pp. 169-176.
Grix, J., Brannagan, P.M., Grimes, H., Neville, R. (2020) 'The impact of Covid-19 on sport.' International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 13(1) pp. 1-12.
Peng, Q., Dickson, G., Scelles, N., Grix, J., Brannagan, P.M. (2020) 'Esports Governance: Exploring Stakeholder Dynamics.' Sustainability, 12(19)
Grix, J., Gallant, , Brannagan, , Jones, (2020) 'Olympians' Attitudes toward Olympic Values: A “Sporting” Life History Approach.' Journal of Olympic Studies, 1(2) pp. 72-99.
Brannagan, P.M., Giulianotti, R. (2018) 'The soft power–soft disempowerment nexus: the case of Qatar.' International Affairs, 94(5) pp. 1139-1157.
Haut, J., Grix, J., Brannagan, P.M.T., van Hilvoorde, I. (2018) 'International prestige through ‘sporting success’: an evaluation of the evidence.' European Journal for Sport and Society, 14(4) pp. 311-326.
Grix, J., Brannagan, P.M., Wood, H., Wynne, C. (2017) 'State strategies for leveraging sports mega-events: unpacking the concept of ‘legacy’.' International Journal of Sport Policy, 9(2) pp. 203-218.
Grix, J., Brannagan, P.M. (2016) 'Of Mechanisms and Myths: Conceptualising States’ “Soft Power” Strategies through Sports Mega-Events.' Diplomacy and Statecraft, 27(2) pp. 251-272.
Brannagan, P.M., Rookwood, J. (2016) 'Sports mega-events, soft power and soft disempowerment: international supporters’ perspectives on Qatar’s acquisition of the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals.' International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 8(2) pp. 173-188.
Brannagan, P.M. (2015) 'Book Review: Alan Tomlinson, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association): The Men, The Myths and The Money.' Sociology, 49(6) pp. 1239-1241.
Brannagan, P.M., Giulianotti, R. (2015) 'Soft power and soft disempowerment: Qatar, global sport and football’s 2022 World Cup finals.' Leisure Studies, 34(6) pp. 703-719.
Grix, J., Brannagan, P.M., Houlihan, B. (2015) 'Interrogating States’ Soft Power Strategies: A Case Study of Sports Mega-Events in Brazil and the UK.' Global Society, 29(3) pp. 463-479.
-
Conference papers
Brannagan, P., Perkin, S. (2022) 'Small State Strategies through Global Sport: The Case of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.' In (Il)liberal Nation Projection Through Sport, Culture, Entertainment, and International Broadcasting. University of Manchester, 20/10/2022 - 21/10/2022.
-
Theses and dissertations
Brannagan, P.M.T. (2017) Globalization, Soft Power and Sports Mega-Events: the case of Qatar’.
Press and media
Media appearances or involvement
‘Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup’
BBC Radio Scotland, (1 November 2023): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001rx0m
‘Saudi Arabia and the merger of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf’
BBC News, (7 June 2023): Television Broadcast
‘Stadium woes create opening for Manchester United suitors’
The Financial Times, (17 May 2023): https://www.ft.com/content/1456e8e0-9b1d-4bc8-b12d-79b8f76e0810
‘Qatar targets the Premier League after World Cup success’
The Financial Times, (15 January 2023): https://www.ft.com/content/fb585677-f259-4aa7-a823-5d788f3cda67
‘Qatar World Cup: a sportswashing own goal?’
The Foreign Desk, Monocle 24 Radio (10 December 2022): https://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-foreign-desk/467/
‘Qatar 2022 Special Report’
Sky News (23 November 2022): Live television broadcast
‘Keen to welcome visitors but enraged by western coverage: how Qataris see the World Cup’
The Guardian (20 November 2022): https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/20/world-cup-qatar-qataris-w…
‘Why Qatar’s World Cup was controversial a decade before the first game’
Washington Post (15 November 2022): Have conditions in Qatar improved for foreign workers? - The Washington Post
‘Qatar World Cup: letter from FIFA to competing nations’
BBC Radio 5 Live (4 November 2022): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001dnm4
‘Qatar World Cup: what was promised and what is actually being delivered’
The Athletic (3 November 2022): https://theathletic.com/3731886/2022/11/03/qatar-world-cup-promises/
‘Qatar, Sportswashing and the 2022 World Cup’
Monocle 24 (2 November 2022): https://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-globalist/2918/
‘Qatar 2022 World Cup’
The Current, CBC (1 November 2022): https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63-the-current/clip/15945920-b.c.-farmers-fear-repeat-catastrophic-floods-world-cup
‘Football tiptoes around social issues as Qatar World Cup draws near’
Financial Times (21 October 2022): https://www.ft.com/content/d6e1f062-309f-4649-b557-ab6cf2edc499
‘The Rise of Soft Power: can sportswashing be a good thing’
Business Leader Magazine (18 October 2022): https://www.businessleader.co.uk/the-rise-of-soft-power-can-sportswashing-be-a-good-thing/
‘Qatar: is it really ready to host a World Cup?’
The Athletic (30 September 2022): https://theathletic.com/3640896/2022/09/30/qatar-world-cup/
‘Sportswashing and the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational’
Radio 5 Live (9 June 2022): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00181hl
‘Qatar 2022: inside the most controversial World Cup ever’
The Sunday Times (24 January 2022): https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/qatar-2022-inside-the-most-controversial-world-cup-ever-9kp3vst6v
‘Sunday Times Book Review on ‘Qatar and the 2022 World Cup’’
The Sunday Times (17 April 2022): https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/qatar-and-the-2022-fifa-world-cup-by-paul-michael-brannagan-and-danyel-reiche-review-xkq38n0m5
‘Qatar World Cup 2022 an ‘act of economic madness’ that will leave the state worse off, experts claim’
iNews (21 November 2021): https://inews.co.uk/news/world/qatar-world-cup-act-of-economic-madness-experts-claim-1308689
‘Can Qatar reshape its image on the back of the 2022 FIFA World Cup?’
ABC News (20 November 2021): https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-21/can-qatar-reshape-image-on-the-back-of-world-cup/100636396
‘The Qatar 2022 World Cup: one year to kick-off’
MMU News (18 November 2021): https://www.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/story/14641/
‘Newcastle Takeover is a ‘good’ Deal for Saudi’
Sky Sports News (8 October 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TI2oLrbbFc
‘Saudi Takeover of Newcastle United FC’
BBC Radio Scotland (8 October 2021): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_scotland_fm
‘Qatar’s Reported Interest in Purchasing Leeds United FC’
BBC Radio Leeds (5 June 2019): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p079qmrf?fbclid=IwAR0o1RcI-_XEQaek65K36LQJlWaU6uVQBfgXJsBGMYrUuSMY2vSL6VTQ4iQ
‘Qatari PSG Boss Elected to UEFA Executive Committee’
Deutsche Welle (7 February 2019): https://www.dw.com/en/qatari-psg-boss-nasser-al-khelaifi-elected-to-uefa-executive-committee-with-dfb-support/a-47383900?fbclid=IwAR22f2DS8l61Lj1CL9A-uIVq8dkHj6am_oFu_-E-2Uf7kP_RLUV0C2wEtcQ
‘A Reputation Battered, what has Qatar to gain from the 2022 World Cup?’
The Independent (19 December 2018): https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/qatar-world-cup-2022-host-bid-reputation-cost-soft-power-a8690366.html?fbclid=IwAR0cyec6Jy4YKTHLU0Ix63PT86oByhN5xJa5Dw4pfKQMzpQyhBx8K17ElD0
‘The Politics of Formula E in Saudi Arabia’
BBC World Service (15 December 2018): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w172w4ps0lpvvbr?fbclid=IwAR3Mj_nTGAsd3-_qxEMZt-hRRB-0BsK8azV-YsnLlNCyDWrbiv524HJtXqQ
‘Politics, Soft Power and Qatar’s Football World Cup’
Chatham House (18 October 2018): http://undercurrents.libsyn.com/episode-19-green-building-projects-in-jordan-and-qatars-football-world-cup
‘Memo to Theresa May: In Premier League, Russian Roots Run Deep’
New York Times (18 March 2018): https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/18/sports/soccer/rory-smith.html
‘Human rights abuses, questionable sponsors and Trump: how geopolitics are becoming the worrying root of football’
The Independent (2 March 2018): https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/geopolitics-in-football-qatar-abu-dhabi-man-city-psg-trump-manchester-united-a8235996.html
‘Politics and Athletic Naturalization in Arab States’
BBC World Service (5 August 2017): http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p059zb8g
‘Qatar, FIFA and the Politics of the World Cup’
Swedish Television (STV) Documentary interview (May 2016): television broadcast
‘La Final de la Copa del Rey’
Globedia (May 2016): http://es.globedia.com/final-copa-rey-evento-deportivo-marcado-politica
‘No ‘moral panic’ among football fans over World Cup in Qatar’
Doha News (October 2015): http://dohanews.co/no-moral-panic-among-football-fans-over-world-cup-in-qatar/
‘Qatar has ‘the solution’ to host F1 race, its motor sports chief says’
Doha News (July 2015): http://dohanews.co/qatar-has-the-solution-to-host-f1-race-its-motor-sports-chief-says/
‘Football, the Spoils of Politics’
El Espectador (June 2015): http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/elmundo/el-futbol-ese-botin-de-politica-articulo-564992