1
Student number s3848078
Title of the essay How can you explain the involvement of
Qatar in the civil war in Syria?
State selected for analysis Qatar
Theoretical framework selected for analysis Neoliberalism
Number of academic sources 7
Number of other sources (thinktank, 2
government, media)
Word count 1857
Course name Case study Syria
Date 21-11-2025
, 2
Introduction
The Syrian civil war has become one of the most destructive conflicts of the 2000s,
characterised by displacements, regional power dynamics, and the hopelessness for
democratisation in the Arab world (Khatib, 2019, p. 386). A crucial actor in this conflict is
Qatar, which played a big role in supporting the Syrian opposition. As Hokayem (2014) says:
‘’Their role has influenced the calculations, positioning, behaviour and fortunes of the principal
Syrian players.’’ (p. 50) Understanding why and how Qatar became deeply involved in the
Syrian civil war is important for explaining the war itself, but also for understanding how small
states, such as Qatar, operate in an interdependent international order.
This paper addresses the research question: How can Qatar’s involvement in the Syrian civil
war be explained through a neoliberalist lens? From a social point of view, answering this
question highlights how humanitarian and diplomatic actors can interact and worsen violent
conflicts. Academically, it contributes to discussions on foreign policies and humanitarian
diplomacy.
To answer the research question, this paper is partitioned into five paragraphs. First, it presents
a brief case description of Qatar’s role in Syria. Second, it goes into the main concepts of the
applied theoretical framework, neoliberalism. Third, the theoretical framework is applied to
Qatar’s policies in Syria, showing how interdependence, non-state actors and soft power
structured their choices. In this section, the neorealist counterarguments are discussed and
refuted. Finally, the conclusion reflects on what this case reveals about the potential and limits
of neoliberalism as the theoretical framework.
Case description
Before 2011, Qatar was an ally of Syria. They had a relatively cordial relationship with Assad.
In 2005, Qatar helped with Assad’s relationship with France after the assassination of Rafiq
Hariri. The Syrian regime was suspected of having a major role in this assassination (Khatib,
2019, p. 398). Khatib (2019) also mentions that over the 2000s, Qatar invested large sums in
the Syrian infrastructure and economy (p. 398). Because of these political investments, Qatar
had no interest in Assad being removed from office (Phillips, 2020, p. 59).
At the same time, Qatar developed relationships with opponents and Islamist networks, such as
the Muslim Brotherhood (Khatib, 2019, p. 397). The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) is a political
Student number s3848078
Title of the essay How can you explain the involvement of
Qatar in the civil war in Syria?
State selected for analysis Qatar
Theoretical framework selected for analysis Neoliberalism
Number of academic sources 7
Number of other sources (thinktank, 2
government, media)
Word count 1857
Course name Case study Syria
Date 21-11-2025
, 2
Introduction
The Syrian civil war has become one of the most destructive conflicts of the 2000s,
characterised by displacements, regional power dynamics, and the hopelessness for
democratisation in the Arab world (Khatib, 2019, p. 386). A crucial actor in this conflict is
Qatar, which played a big role in supporting the Syrian opposition. As Hokayem (2014) says:
‘’Their role has influenced the calculations, positioning, behaviour and fortunes of the principal
Syrian players.’’ (p. 50) Understanding why and how Qatar became deeply involved in the
Syrian civil war is important for explaining the war itself, but also for understanding how small
states, such as Qatar, operate in an interdependent international order.
This paper addresses the research question: How can Qatar’s involvement in the Syrian civil
war be explained through a neoliberalist lens? From a social point of view, answering this
question highlights how humanitarian and diplomatic actors can interact and worsen violent
conflicts. Academically, it contributes to discussions on foreign policies and humanitarian
diplomacy.
To answer the research question, this paper is partitioned into five paragraphs. First, it presents
a brief case description of Qatar’s role in Syria. Second, it goes into the main concepts of the
applied theoretical framework, neoliberalism. Third, the theoretical framework is applied to
Qatar’s policies in Syria, showing how interdependence, non-state actors and soft power
structured their choices. In this section, the neorealist counterarguments are discussed and
refuted. Finally, the conclusion reflects on what this case reveals about the potential and limits
of neoliberalism as the theoretical framework.
Case description
Before 2011, Qatar was an ally of Syria. They had a relatively cordial relationship with Assad.
In 2005, Qatar helped with Assad’s relationship with France after the assassination of Rafiq
Hariri. The Syrian regime was suspected of having a major role in this assassination (Khatib,
2019, p. 398). Khatib (2019) also mentions that over the 2000s, Qatar invested large sums in
the Syrian infrastructure and economy (p. 398). Because of these political investments, Qatar
had no interest in Assad being removed from office (Phillips, 2020, p. 59).
At the same time, Qatar developed relationships with opponents and Islamist networks, such as
the Muslim Brotherhood (Khatib, 2019, p. 397). The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) is a political
