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5 July 2024

State Aspirations for Social and Cultural Transformations in Qatar

,
and
1
College of Public Policy, Hamad bin Khalifa University, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
2
Liberal Arts and Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar, Doha P.O. Box 1129, Qatar
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Soc. Sci.2024, 13(7), 359;https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13070359
This article belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society
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Abstract

Qatar is on a mission to cultivate a thriving, globally competitive, knowledge-based economy, shifting away from its rentier economic model, as well as being a key international player on the world stage. This article focuses on Qatar’s social and cultural sphere, exploring the Qatari state’s vision for society in the midst of these grand agendas. Through a systematic analysis of six key national documents (KNDs), such as the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy, it extracts the state’s aspirations for its society, as well as the values or traits they are attempting to preserve or inculcate. We identify five key overarching themes in the KNDs: (1) the advancement of society; (2) the preservation of traditions and values; (3) keeping up with the Gulf, Arab and Islamic countries and the world; (4) the empowerment of women; and (5) the importance of the family. The paper concludes with an assessment of some top-down initiatives and policies that were designed to achieve these ambitious agendas, and highlights some of their pitfalls. These issues include a lack of civic participation and engagement; the need for more localisation and indigenous social innovation; and, lastly, more attention given to social dynamics, including their inter- and intra-relations, which often lead to unintended consequences.

1. Introduction

It is difficult to overstate the speed and depth of the transformations Qatar has experienced and is continuously undergoing in almost all dimensions of life—economic, political and social. Where other countries have spent decades on them, Qatar is attempting to “leapfrog” through the stages of development, undergoing what some have called “instant urbanism”, where small, disconnected towns morph into global cities similar to Dubai and Abu Dhabi (; ; ). In short, this small, fledgling country is on a mission to cultivate and nurture a thriving, globally competitive, knowledge-based economy, shifting away from its rentier economic model, as well as being a key international player on the world stage ().
This tiny peninsula currently boasts one of the highest gross domestic products (GDP) per capita in the world. Qatar discovered oil in 1939 and natural gas in 1971, and is now the world’s largest exporter of liquified natural gas (LNG) and the 15th largest exporter of crude oil (). This contributes to 70% of the country’s total revenues, 85% of its export earnings and 60% of its GDP (). These revenues have allowed the state to embark on ambitious, large-scale projects aiming to reform the education and health sectors and accelerate urban development equipped with modern infrastructure. This demanded a staggeringly high influx of migrants, ranging from blue-collar to white-collar workers, rendering Qatari citizens as minorities in their own country. The state also provides scholarships for young Qataris to travel and study abroad, returning with new life experiences and worldviews (). This all contributes to a unique social and cultural tapestry that is in rapid transition.
This article focuses on Qatar’s social and cultural sphere. It explores how the state plans and envisions Qatari society, culture and identity in the midst of these grand, sweeping economic and political agendas. Through a systematic analysis of six key national documents (KNDs), such as the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy, it extracts the state’s aspirations for its society, as well as the values and institutions they are attempting to preserve and inculcate. It then analyses these derived aspirational themes and assesses their strengths and weaknesses through recent initiatives and policies.
Hitherto, studies have explored various aspects of these KNDs but to the authors’ knowledge, none have systematically analysed the overarching social and cultural dimensions in a broader sense. That being said, some have examined KNDs in relation to social and cultural transformations, yet with different frameworks and end goals, such as in the context of the FIFA World Cup () or regarding the development of neoliberal subjectivities using a postcolonial lens (). Many, however, have discussed selected aspects of KNDs in light of Qatar’s commitments to the global sustainability agenda, including education for sustainable development, sustainable tourism, and urban and economic development (; ; ). Others have used KNDs as a framework to examine the development of the knowledge-based economy and circular economy (; ).
In terms of Qatar’s international branding, national identity and social transformations, many scholars have researched this topic from various angles, including top-down and bottom-up perspectives (). The bulk of the studies are in the former category, which includes social and cultural identity shaping and the curation of museums (; ; ; ), regional political events (; ; ) and sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup (; ). There are relatively fewer grass-roots studies that use more ethnographic methods, exploring the identity formation of different migrants and citizens in Qatar (; ) and the granular impact of the educational system’s reforms, which have undergone many changes under the Education for a New Era (EFNE) government initiative, particularly in the medium of the language of instruction (; ; ; ). Gender and the empowerment of women is another key focus of this literature, with various studies exploring Qatari female worldviews (). Yet again, none, to our knowledge, include a systematic analysis of the latest KNDs and the state’s overall visions of society.

2. Qatar: A Brief Country Profile

Located on the western coast of the Arabian Gulf, Qatar is a small peninsula with some islands, namely Halul, Shira’wa and Alashat. In the south, it shares a land border with Saudi Arabia and a maritime border with Bahrain, the UAE and Iran. Qatar is an independent sovereign state and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—a political and economic alliance between six Middle Eastern countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Oman and Qatar. Spanning approximately 12,000 square kilometres, Qatar is the seventh smallest country in Asia, the third smallest in the Middle East and the second smallest in the GCC (; ). As of 2023, the population stands at approximately 3 million (3,085,087), with around 87% expatriates, rendering Qataris in a unique position as minorities in their own country. The majority of expatriate workers are from developing countries in South Asia (). In this way, Qataris are the fourth largest national group after residents from India, Bangladesh and Nepal (). The official language of Qatar is Arabic, although the sheer number and mixture of migrant workers has made English the de facto second language. Islam is the official religion of the country, and Islamic law (shariah) is the principal source of legislation (). The vast majority of citizens are Sunni Muslims. Thus, their traditions and culture are rooted in Arabic and Islamic history.
Qatar has been inhabited since 4000 BC under various regimes. Until 1915, the Ottomans had ruled this land for four centuries. Although never officially colonised, Qatar became a British protectorate for approximately fifty-five years from 1916 to 1971, through which time Qatar’s external and international relations and security were controlled through British power. Qataris consist of various nomadic Bedouin tribes as well as Indian and Iranian trading families. Qatar is an absolute monarchy, and the ruling family, the Al-Thanis, descend from the Al-Ma’adhid from the Banu Tamim. Originally from Najd in Saudi Arabia, the Banu Tamim settled in various places, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq (; ). Tribes and their branches are spread throughout the region and are not neatly divided into nation–states. Historically, tribes have been complex and fluid and have played a critical and powerful role in the organisation and function of society. There is considerable debate amongst scholars about the relationship between the modern nation–state and the tribe. Earlier scholars predicted the decline of the tribe with the rise of the modern nation–state, perceiving tribes as primitive and primeval. However, recently, more scholars are advocating for the idea that tribes are constantly evolving and adapting, especially in the mercurial and volatile politics of the current era, and are once again playing a significant role (; ; ).
Many consider Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who ruled from 1995 to 2013, to have been the founder of modern Qatar. Educated in the United Kingdom, the Emir accelerated the country’s development towards a dynamic modern economy and society, with education as his focal point. Under his reign, the Permanent Constitution of the State of Qatar and the Qatar National Vision 2030 were ratified and came into effect (), as well as the launch of a comprehensive reformation of the education system entitled Education for a New Era ().
During the Emir’s reign, many organisations, institutions and state initiatives were established. Qatar University, which was established in 1977 as the national institution of higher education in Qatar, embarked on an ambitious reform plan in 2003, which eventually developed into a strategy to align itself with the Qatar National Vision. Its strategy, “From Reform to Transformation 2018–2023”, aims to promote excellence in education and research and reach competitive levels regionally and internationally (). The Emir and his wife, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, also established the Qatar Foundation in 1995, which is a large, private, non-profit organisational umbrella that hosts a wide range of institutions focusing on “education, research and innovation, and community development… for the benefit of Qatar, and the world” (). Many initiatives have been launched under the Qatar Foundation, such as the Qatar Science and Technology Park, which was established and designed in 2009 as an innovation incubator for science and technology to accelerate Qatar’s national diversification drive (). The World Innovation Summit for Education was launched in 2009 under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, which is a global platform for creative solutions to the issues being faced by education today (). The World Innovation Summit for Health was established in 2013 as a platform to discuss, debate and discover new ways forward for global healthcare challenges (). These top-down initiatives give us a glimpse into how Qatar began to envision and position itself as a leading global player.

3. Methodology

For this study, the authors conducted a thematic content analysis using qualitative data analysis software, MAXQDA 2020 (). Thematic content analysis consists of three stages: first is the pre-analysis stage, where the research question is defined and documents are identified; second is the exploration phase, where codes are created through an iterative process; third is the treatment and interpretation, which is the final stage of data analysis and discussion (). The first two stages are outlined below, and the remainder of the article represents the final stage.

3.1. Pre-Analysis

As discussed above, this article’s area of focus is the government’s vision for Qatari society, culture and identity. Related to this, the authors first identified the relevant KNDs that would be pertinent to this research. This involved gathering the official documents from government websites and reading them for any concepts related to society and culture. One of the difficulties that we encountered was that society, culture and identity are nebulous and integrated concepts that permeate almost every aspect of life. The authors discussed and agreed on what to include and exclude, such as to not include the promotion of “sports culture”. Although important in the Qatari cultural landscape, it would have widened the scope too much. We had to strike a balance between breadth and depth, and agreed on the following five national documents and one important speech by the current Emir.
Six KNDs and one important speech by the Emir were finally selected to be part of the study; they were published between 2008 and 2022. Below is a list of each document, the language it was reviewed in and a short description:
  • Qatar National Vision 2030 ()—English.
    Published in 2008, the Qatar National Vision 2030 is the primary guiding document for all spheres of Qatari life, economy and society. All other documents explicitly refer back to the QNV 2030 and are aligned accordingly. According to the state, “Qatar’s National Vision defines the long-term goals for the country and provides a framework in which national strategies and implementation plans can be developed” ().
  • Qatar National Development Strategy 2011–2016 ()—Arabic.
  • Qatar National Development Strategy 2018–2022 ()—Arabic.
    The theoretical framework provided by the Qatar National Vision 2030 was crystallized through Qatar National Development Strategies. The first Qatar National Development Strategy “was based on Qatar National Vision 2030 pillars, targeting: sustained economic prosperity, promotion of human development, integrated methodology for social development, and environmental preservation for future generations” (). The second Qatar National Development Strategy builds upon the first but also includes a “new chapter on international cooperation (Global Partnerships for Development) aimed at strengthening Qatar’s regional and international roles and status….[as well as]… a new chapter on Performance Management which provides a compass for monitoring implementation paths” ().
  • Qatar National Research Strategy 2014. ()—English.
    Research towards achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030 is outlined in the Qatar National Research Strategy 2014. The 2014 edition is the latest document that addresses “critical national priorities and progress towards the 2030 vision for Qatar to become a leading center for research and development excellence and innovation” ().
  • The Human Development Report for the State of Qatar 2015 ()—Arabic.
    The Human Development Index (HDI) is about the relationship between economic development and improving the lives of everyday people. According to the report, it “reflects a commitment to deepening the national and international consensus that development requires more than just the pursuit of economic growth. In addition to affirming national identity, culture, heritage, and Islamic values, national human development must promote, respect, and protect the rights of all individuals” ().
  • General Framework for National Education 2016 ()—Arabic
    This document is “considered the cornerstone of all decisions and procedures related to curriculum development, teaching support, and evaluation. It provides a clear direction for the development of education based on the knowledge economy, applying the best international standards, and incorporating scientific discoveries regarding how students learn across different age categories” ().
  • HH The Emir speech inaugurates Shura 51 Council’s Ordinary Session 2022 ()—Arabic
    We reviewed a collection of the most recent speeches delivered by the Emir of Qatar on various local and international occasions. The vast majority did not directly fall under our research area, except one, which was a local speech given to the Shura Council—the consultative assembly that is the legislative body of the State of Qatar.

3.2. Exploration

Each document was then uploaded onto MAXQDA 2020. Qualitative data analysis software, such as MAXQDA, is a useful tool to effectively and systematically streamline and identify common traits in large volumes of data.
Content analysis can be divided into three categories: lexical, syntactic and thematic. This study chose thematic analysis as documents were in different languages. Therefore, conducting an analysis based on grammar, vocabulary or syntax would be challenging and problematic. We went through the three-step coding process of open, axial and selective coding based on grounded theory.1 This is an iterative process that begins with open coding, a way of reading the texts and creating codes based on similar concepts and themes in relation to society. Axial coding is where the relationships between the initial codes in the open coding process are discussed and identified. Selective coding aims again to analyse the relationships between the axial codes to create themes and meaning (). All authors have some level of bilingualism (English and Arabic) but author two took the lead, especially in the open coding part, as author two is strongest in both Arabic (native Arab) and English. The open axial selective process was iterative and involved discussions between the authors to reach agreement.
Coding can be descriptive or analytical. The former is where the researcher aims to closely align and use the words and meaning in the text and the latter is where the researcher interprets the text and codes using their individual analytical interpretation. Both have their uses, yet, since the aim of the article was to capture and portray the state’s vision, we opted for the descriptive method.
Coding analysis can also be qualitative or quantitative. Qualitative analysis is where the intensity, in terms of the usage of adjectives and descriptive nouns, the co-occurrence of words and themes and order are also units of analysis. Quantitative is where the frequency of the themes are the main units of analysis. This study chose quantitative analysis, again due to the differences in languages and forms of expression that would make qualitative analysis difficult.

3.3. Limitations

The aim of coding is to render a more rigorous and systematic analysis, yet it is still a subjective endeavour. Coding using data analysis software increases the rigour and depth of the analysis; it does not replace the role of the researcher in creating, deciding and giving meaning to the codes.

4. Results

As shown in Figure 1, five overarching themes were identified from the KNDs: the advancement of society (96); preservation of values and traditions (80); keeping up with other Gulf states, Arab countries, Islamic countries, and the world (29); empowering Qatari women (27); and the importance of the Qatari family (24).
Figure 1. The percentage distribution of the five categories representing societal priorities in Qatar.
Below are detailed tables for each theme that are further divided into sub-categories with at least one example for each. If the document was analysed in Arabic, then the English text was taken from the English version where possible or translated.
Table 1 shows the results for the first theme, the advancement of society. This is a broad category that includes four overarching sub-themes. The first is rights and social protection for citizens and residents, including the social and economic integration of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with disabilities. The second is the development of a just and caring society that actively participates in national and global development, especially regarding the role of the youth and volunteering. The third is strategic human-power planning that includes high-quality education and training to respond to 21st-century challenges. The fourth is efficient government services, such as the justice and healthcare system. Within each of these sub-themes are multiple sub-categories.
Table 1. Theme 1.
Table 2 shows the results for the second theme, the preservation of values and traditions. This theme includes the preservation of heritage, culture and national identity grounded in Islamic and Arab traditions whilst concomitantly modernising society.
Table 2. Theme 2.
Table 3 shows the results for the third theme, keeping up with other Gulf countries, Arab and Islamic countries and the world. This theme is about relatively maintaining high standards increasing Qatar’s regional and global role on the world’s stage.
Table 3. Theme 3.
Table 4 shows the results for the fourth theme, empowering Qatari women. This theme includes enhancing the role, capacity and agency of women in social, political and economic spheres of society and improving Qatar’s low ranking on the Gender Inequality Index (GII). At the same time, it contains aspirations for “traditional Qatari family life”, namely marriage and children.
Table 4. Theme 4.
Table 5 shows the results for the fifth and final theme, the importance of the Qatari family. This theme encapsulates the significance of the family unit, child well-being and equality between households.
Table 5. Theme 5.

5. Discussion

To thoroughly assess every state aspiration for society is out of the scope of this paper. Below are remarks on some major state initiatives towards these visions, placing them in regional and global contexts. The theme “keeping up with the world” runs throughout the discussion as these initiatives are designed with this goal in mind.

5.1. Advancement of Society, Education and Preservation of Traditions

As seen above, education is one of the key cornerstones of the KNDs. Moving towards a knowledge-based society that is globally competitive is not only the aim of Qatar but many developing countries seeking their place on the world stage (). Globalisation, as () argue, by and large depends on technology and a strong command of the English language. This has led to governments throughout Asia, Africa and the Arabian Gulf pushing neoliberal Western educational concepts, products, services, pedagogy and privatization strategies as well as the English-language medium of instruction (). In the MENA region as a whole, and the Arabian Gulf in particular, there are “new desires for Western-inspired forms of education, internationalization and transnational education; new ethos of English-medium formal education policies, curricula and classroom pedagogical practices; and new strong desire to purchase western higher education products, goods and services” (). The demand for the English language stems from it being synonymous with academic advancement, excellence and success, as well as heightened professional mobility ().2
In Qatar, this has resulted in the government employing the American think tank, RAND, in 2001 to assess the Qatari education system and to suggest methods of improvement (). Of course, their suggestions were based on neoliberal ideas of decentralization and privatization to foster innovation, competition and promote efficiency within schools. The Qatari government enacted their suggestions in 2002, and this new phase was dubbed “Education for a New Era”. By 2011, all government schools were converted to “independent” schools, which were designed to have more autonomy but with national, standardized assessments, as well as switching from an Arabic to English medium of instruction. Although there were some positive results, by and large, Education for a New Era did not yield the desired results and was not considered a success (). RAND’s contract was not renewed, and many of the reforms were reversed, such as the switch back to an Arabic medium of instruction.
This significant episode in the country’s history illustrates two key points that are relevant to this paper. First, as has been documented by most studies, the reforms failed largely due to inadequate stakeholder consultations, such as with principles, school teachers and parents (). Rapid, top-down requirements led to schools being ill-prepared for the changes, leading to highly frustrated teachers, students and parents (). Looking at the KNDs, as part of the “advancement of society” (Table 1), the state wants to promote a participatory culture, where different segments of society play an active role in the development of the nation in all spheres. Taking a wider bottom-up view, many global trends are indicating that citizens are now also demanding and expecting more consultations in important societal affairs (). This episode suggests that this is true even in autocratic societies such as Qatar. For ambitious reforms, a key learning point is that the state must take the time and care to thoroughly consult relevant stakeholders in society and take their opinions and suggestions seriously regarding the issue at hand. This should generate not only higher chances of acceptance and success but more impactful reforms as it is designed with the people, rather than for the people.
The second learning point from this episode is the need for deeper reflection when it comes to the balance between advancing and modernising society on the one hand and preserving values and identity on the other. The sudden switch to the English medium of instruction was perceived by many parents as a direct threat to their identity and values (). All languages carry with them history, culture and values; this is particularly true for the Arabic language, which also holds a sacred status due to its inextricable connection with the Islamic tradition. The dilution and weakening of the Arabic language, a trend in the Arabian Gulf as a whole, is, of course, an unintended consequence of English-medium instruction policies, the privatization of education, as well as the large number of English-speaking expatriates in the countries (). The switch back to an Arabic medium in government schools, as well as a greater push in private schools to include higher standards and respect for the Arabic language, was a direct result of this backlash. This illustrates that reforms and strategies require more foresight and innovative and concrete strategies to mitigate possible unintended consequences.

5.2. Gender and Family

In line with the global trends and objectives, women’s empowerment and education is high on the agenda. In the Arabian Gulf, Kuwait and Bahrain were the first countries to establish women’s organisations, with the Young Ladies Association in Bahrain in 1955 and the Women’s Cultural and Social Society in 1963 (). Qatar was the last Gulf country to embark on this social change. In 1982, it established its first women’s organisation, and Qatar was also the last to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2009 relative to other Gulf countries, such as Kuwait, which did so in 1994, and Saudi Arabia, which did so in 2000 ().
Despite this, Qatar has not only “caught up” but, in some areas, is leading the way, not just in the Gulf but in the world. Taking a snapshot of the latest data from the World Bank, Qatar had a lower maternal mortality ratio (8 per 100,000) than high-income countries (12 per 100,000) in 2020 (). Both men and women in Qatar have very high literacy rates, with the rate for women being slightly higher, at 94.7%, relative to men, at 93.1%. Although 90% of girls in Qatar complete secondary education, compared to 95% of girls in higher-income countries, there was a 60.5% female labour force participation rate compared to 53.3% in higher-income countries as of 2022. In other words, women in Qatar are far more economically active relative not only to other countries in the Gulf, but also to the world. By way of comparison, the United States had 56.5% female labour force participation, and the United Arab Emirates had 54.9% in 2022 (). Women in Qatar are also highly educated, with far more females enrolling and graduating from higher education institutes. In the academic year 2020/2021 alone, of all university graduates, Qatari females were the highest (45%) relative to Qatari males (17%) and even non-Qatari females (23%) (). In 2020/2021 alone, Qatari women received more than three times the number of state scholarships than men, that is, 77% compared to 23%. Looking at data from PISA, which charts academic performance, girls in Qatar outperform boys in reading, maths and science by a higher margin than in other Gulf states and in the OECD countries (). There is also a higher number of Qatari girls entering the private school system relative to Qatari boys, who are choosing the government school system, which has lower achievement rates (). In the above-cited reports where we have historical data, they illustrate that these trends—of women far outnumbering men in terms of higher education enrolment, scholarships and graduates—have persisted at least for the last five to ten years rather than being aberrations of the last few years. In short, females in Qatar are far more educated relative to males, and have high rates of labour force participation relative to the world, and these rates are set on an upward trajectory. Therefore, taken from the angle of education and labour force participation, the state’s visions and strategies of empowering women are successful.
However, the emphasis on women has had a detrimental impact on men, and other gender imbalances have resulted. (), examining the Gulf broadly, cogently argues that a reverse gender divide has occurred in the region as boys are neglected by international developmental agencies, policy makers and academics. She describes a situation wherein boys receive a sub-standard education, leading to low attainment levels and high dropout rates, but have easy access to high-status employment. On the other hand, girls achieve high levels of attainment, but have relatively more cultural and social barriers in the labour market. She argues that many factors, such as the pursuit of modernisation, which is equated mainly to female education, and an aggressive nationalisation that disincentivises obtaining employment based on merit, have led to boys being largely left behind (). Although the Gulf region has its own specificities, this issue of a decline in boys’ educational attainment overall is a growing global trend (; ).
Of course, this has a direct impact on the family. The family still remains an important institution in Qatar. Yet, many studies and reports have highlighted the rise in divorce rates, the rise in celibacy amongst women, an increase in marital age, and a decrease in differences between the ages of spouses, which alter family dynamics (; ). The point to note here is that most of these studies attribute the key drivers of these trends to female access to education and the workforce, which broadens the woman’s life choices and causes them to delay their marriage, choose not to marry or choose to divorce, since they have financial independence. In other words, there is more emphasis—at times even blame—placed on the woman. In addition, new visions and models of gender relationships, well-being and life introduced through economic and social globalisation are generally cited as another factor (). Although there are still high levels of endogamy in Qatar, these new models also result in men and women marrying outside their ethnicity or tribe (). It is important to note that the children of Qatari men who marry non-Qatari women receive all the benefits of a full Qatari citizen. However, the children of Qatari women who marry non-Qatari women do not receive the same state benefits ().
This is a complex and rich issue, and many remarks can be made. For the purposes of this paper, one pertinent point stands out. This is that the three themes, keeping up with other countries, female empowerment and supporting the family, when seen separately and on a theoretical level, are positive goals; yet, practically on the ground, they are enacted without consideration of each other. Put differently, while everyday life is complex and interconnected, these policies, laws and visions are treated distinctly. Women’s education and attainment are supported and lauded, but men’s low attainment levels are ignored, creating a reverse gender imbalance. Marriage, particularly endogamous marriage, is encouraged, yet men can marry outside their group without repercussions. There are also entrenched social norms of women requesting staggeringly high dowries as well as the educational imbalance, which serve as more push factors for Qatari men to seek to marry women abroad (). Children and family life are encouraged, yet flexible working, maternity and paternity leave are still a work in progress, although, recently, there have been some improvements (). It is noteworthy that there are many ways that employers get out of providing these benefits, such as workers not having permanent and full-time status, but being employed under renewable, short-term contracts. Moreover, despite help for families with special needs being explicitly mentioned (see Table 1), there is little extra support for families that have children with disabilities, which occurs particularly in endogamous societies (, ).3
In short, there any many unintended consequences and overlooked dynamics taking place between the state’s aspirations and what is occurring in society. Qatar needs a far more comprehensive and panoramic view of society that encompasses the inter- and intra-dynamics of families, children, gender, education, employment and overall well-being. A rapid transition also requires rapid research, adaption and agility. Rather than reactionary measures when negative trends hit significant levels, closer monitoring and more agile interventions that can be adapted to the fast and changing nature of society are needed.

6. Conclusions

This study aimed to analyse the Qatari state’s aspirations and visions for society through a thematic compilation of key national documents. We uncovered five key themes: (1) advancement of society; (2) preservation of traditions and values; (3) keeping up with Gulf, Arab and Islamic countries and the world; (4) empowerment of women; (5) and the importance of the family unit. These are lofty goals for a state with many incongruous characteristics: rich in resources but with a tiny population; low local human capacity leading to an 87% expatriate population, many of whom do not share the language, history or religion with the locals; possessing a tiny land footprint yet desiring to be a prominent player on the world stage with leading global initiatives.
On the surface level, the state’s vision for its society is inspiring. Yet, when put into action, the policies, initiatives and social norms that stem from these visions suffer from three inter-related shortfalls. First is the lack of participation from relevant stakeholders as well as grass-roots society. Second is the prioritisation given to global trends and interventions at the expense of local realities or space for indigenous yet innovative pathways.4 Third is the lack of attention given to the intra- and inter-dynamics of many social goals, such as gender dynamics and educational and employment pathways. In short, creating and enacting visions through more participatory measures that are tailored to local realities and have a comprehensive, in-depth understanding of social dynamics is paramount. This research is significant as it specifically pinpoints past challenges and outlines ways forward. This research would serve policy makers and other private and government entities who are working towards making these lofty visions a reality.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, H.A.; methodology, H.A. and K.S.; data curation K.S.; formal analysis, H.A. and K.S.; writing—original draft preparation, H.A.; writing—review and editing, H.A. and E.T.; funding acquisition, H.A. and E.T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This study and open access funding was provided by Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Signature Research Grant entitled Managing Social Transformation in Qatar: Risks, Trends and Future Trajectories HBKU-INT-VPR-SRG-01-01. Partial support was also provided by the National Priorities Research Program #12C-0804-190009.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created in this study. All reports and documents are publicly available, see reference list.

Conflicts of Interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there were no conflicts of interest.

Notes

1
Grounded theory is one of the most widely and commonly used methodologies in qualitative research. The principal idea is that theories are generated through a systematic collection and analysis of data. Hence, it is “grounded” in data ().
2
See also () for more on globalisation in Qatar’s higher education sector.
3
For more on disability in Arab societies and the multiple complex issues, see () and ().
4
For more on innovation and challenges for education in the Arabian Gulf, see () and ().

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