International Relations and Faith-based Diplomacy: The Case of Qatar

This article looks at the role that faith-based diplomacy has come to play in Qatar's diplomatic relationship with the West, and the U.S. in particular. Situating the case of Qatar in the context of wide-ranging Muslim efforts to address the theme of interfaith on the world stage, I argue that in a post-9/11 geopolitical climate, faith-based diplomacy in general and interfaith dialogue in particular are best understood in terms of a broader politics of representation. This article contributes to the typically Western-centric and Christian leaning literature by offering an account of the place of faith-based diplomacy in the foreign policy of a Muslim-majority country.