Changing Qatar
Culture, Citizenship, and Rapid Modernization

Geoff Harkness (Author)

9781479889075

Hardback, published 28 July 2020

340 pages, 19 black and white illustrations
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.7 cm, 0.635 kg

This book reads very well. The author's writing style is engaging, easy to follow and thought provoking....Given the dearth of information on Qatar, I believe this book will have wide appeal and provide useful and interesting insight into a little known country and culture. - Christine Lindholm, Associate Dean for Virginia Commonwealth University, School of the Arts Changing Qatar changes not just how we think about the Arabian Gulf but how we think about political order, gender and the role of great wealth in making up cities and the people within them. It is a singular accomplishment—shrewd, engrossing, and rich with ideas and substance. - Harvey Molotch, co-editor of The New Arab Urban: Gulf Cities of Wealth, Ambition, and Distress

A cultural study of modern Qatar and how it navigates change and tradition
Qatar, an ambitious country in the Arabian Gulf, grabbed headlines as the first Middle Eastern nation selected to host the FIFA World Cup. As the wealthiest country in the world—and one of the fastest-growing—it is known for its capital, Doha, which boasts a striking, futuristic skyline.
In Changing Qatar, Geoff Harkness takes us beyond the headlines, providing a fresh perspective on modern-day life in the increasingly visible Gulf. Drawing on three years of immersive fieldwork and more than a hundred interviews, he describes a country in transition, one struggling to negotiate the fluid boundaries of culture, tradition, and modernity.
Harkness shows how Qataris reaffirm—and challenge—traditions in many areas of everyday life, from dating and marriage, to clothing and humor, to gender and sports. A cultural study of citizenship in modern Qatar, this book offers an illuminating portrait that cannot be found elsewhere.