Yellow Brick Road

Globalization and modernization have undeniably benefited Qatar in various aspects of society. They have given Qatar access to world-class education, higher standards of living, and a greater sense of cultural awareness and social equality. Qatar has adopted the Education City project, in which it has invited a collection of prestigious American universities to open up branches here in Doha. Some of these universities include Carnegie Mellon University, the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, Texas A&M University, Virginia Commonwealth University School for the Arts and Weill Cornell Medical Center. Qatar has invested in the Education reform project with the aim of creating an academically stronger Qatari youth. 

In addition, globalization has developed the economic and social state in Qatar. It is stated that today Qatar is one of the fastest growing economies in the world with one of the highest per capita income (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). Moreover, Qatar has created greater cultural awareness and global citizenship as a result of globalization. Cultural awareness is exercised as it is exposed to more foreign interferences through education, media, and free trade. At the same time, global citizenship is exercised through the creation of various human relief efforts organizations such as Reach Out to Asia, Qatar Red Crescent, and Qatar Charity. Furthermore, increasingly groups within society are being granted greater rights. For example, women have been granted the right to vote. 

Despite the various benefits, globalization and modernization may strip Qatar of its cultural identity and sense of individuality. Ramzy Baroud, author of ‘Weathering the globalization storm’ (2006) addresses this by claiming that globalization strips Third World countries of their sense of cultural identity. The author argues that Qatar has abandoned the traditional villages in favor of Western-style projects. In addition, Baroud points out that Qatar has neglected its cultural initiative for the sake of globalization and economic welfare. As a Qatari citizen, I believe that it is in fact true that Qatar has somewhat ignored the old architectural sites and allowed them to perish away.  

For the purposes of this research, I interviewed Lulwah Hamad Al Thani, daughter of the Emir of the state of Qatar, about the effects of globalization on Qatar. She comments, “It disturbs me to see some individuals adopting a complete western style of life and abandoning our social heritage.” She believes that as a result of globalization some Qatari nationals abandon their cultural identity in search of a ‘western’ way of being. In effect, adopting a western way of life dilutes the Qatari identity and cultural heritage to a degree that it may be neglected and lost.

Moreover, globalization in Qatar creates the dilemma of undermining the prominent local language within the region, Arabic. The importance of the Arabic language and the practice of the language itself is decreasing, as a result of globalization and the extensive use of English as the international language of business and higher education. A survey of 20 CMU-Q students was conducted to find out what people thought of the influence of globalization and modernization on Qatar. The survey showed that 75% believe that the number of Arabic speakers will reduce in Qatar as a result of globalization. In comparison, Lulwah Al-Thani asserts that, “I think our language will always be preserved simply because it is the language of the Quran.” She states that the deterioration of the Arabic language is not a problem. She believes that there are measures that should be taken to make sure that the Arabic language does not lose its importance and dominance within the region. However, it is undeniable that Arabic has been abandoned as the primary language of education. Furthermore, we find that today’s Qatari youth value English more than they value the Arabic language, as a result of the increasing number of English medium schools and American style universities in Qatar.

Consequently, globalization and modernization could have negative influences on the Islamic core values in Qatar. Through media, free trade, and education, Islamic values may be undermined as a result of cultural integration. Through the media, teenagers are allowed access to content that is profane and vulgar. This content threatens the strict Islamic values that the state of Qatar has managed to hold on to since its founding. In addition, through free trade, products such as alcohol, which is considered a sin, are being introduced into the Qatari market. Moreover, higher education in the form of English medium schools and American universities are constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to teachings. Qatar has employed the “hands off ’” approach in terms of the teachings given in the American universities. This has developed today’s youth into intellectual individuals with high levels of expertise in multiple fields. However, this has also introduced religious-threatening courses such as “The problem of God,” which is currently given to students studying at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. The course consists of teachings about a variety of religions and belief systems. The course challenges the faiths and religious values of the Qatari and Arab nationals in the country (http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_5931.shtml).

In spite of this, introducing challenging courses provides students with the necessary intellectual and individual thinking skills—skills that are needed to create higher thinking abilities.In order to combat these potential threats to the Qatari culture and society, the state of Qatar and the nationals of Qatar need to identify that there is a problem that needs to be tackled. First of all, Qatar has to develop methods to preserve the cultural identity of Qatar, its Islamic values and its local language. All of this can be achieved through educating the public. 

To begin with, parents and educators need to be identified with the Qatari identity. The Qatari identity in the past was a combination of Gulf-based traditions and Islamic values. Today, the identity has reshaped  itself in a form where Qatari nationals have the same basic ideals and values at the core but with a greater sense of acceptance and awareness of other cultures. In order to preserve the primary ideals and values of the Qatari identity, schools must make sure to imbed in the students the ideals and history of the state of Qatar at the primary and secondary level. Educators must also make sure to create a sense of pride in the Qatari identity and sense of distinctness to such a degree that whether globalization or any other global force takes place in Qatar it would not be able to strip the country of its cultural identity. Lulwah Al-Thani believes that, “We should be careful and preserve our basic ideals and religion because those two things must never be compromised. We should accept globalization only to the extent that our basic identity is not at stake.” (Al-Thani, Lulwah, Personal communication, 2007) For example, Qatar could host National celebrations as an opportunity to maintain the cultural identity of the country. In addition, Qatar could also form cultural societies or organizations that operate with the sole purpose of education the public of what the Qatar identity is and its importance. With the fast growth rate of Qatar’s economy, it is inevitable that Qatar’s identity would be altered and reshaped to be more accepting and inclusive of other cultures. However, Qatar must make sure that the identity does not lose its primary ideals; it should only become more accepting of other cultural identities. 

To maintain the high importance of the Arabic language Qatar has to keep an attentive eye to the education the students are receiving. Qatar has to make sure that the schools and parents are teaching Arabic as a core subject with the same importance, if not more, than any secondary languages. Lulwah Al Thani believes that parents should have a “proactive role” in the lives of their children to make sure that Arabic is exercised and learnt. In addition, the Qatari education system must also maintain the Islamic teachings at all levels of study especially during the growth stages between primary and secondary school.  In addition, the education system in Qatar should be reformed to include Arabic in all subjects. English should not be the only prominent language in all but Islamic studies. Arabic should be included in the core subjects as well.

In conclusion, through this research I have identified that globalization has various social negative effects on Qatar that we as Qataris have to tackle. We first have to highlight what these negative social impacts are; loss of cultural identity, undermining of the Arabic language and Islamic values and ideals. To overcome the consequences of globalization the state of Qatar needs to educate tomorrow’s youth and the parents and teachers of tomorrow’s youth of the importance of the Qatari identity, the Arabic language and the Islamic values. Most importantly, Qatar has to embed a sense of pride and joy into all of its citizens towards everything to do with Qatar. With such feelings and passion towards one’s country, it would be hard for any force such as globalization to change or alter Qatar’s identity, religious values and local language.

References

Al-Thani, Lulwah.  (2007). Personal communication.

Asquith, C.  (2006). Accepted into Education. Retrieved November 21 2007,from: http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_5931.shtml

Baroud, R. (2006). Weathering the globalization storm. The Arab American News, Vol. 22, Iss. 1045, pp. 8.

Moment of truth, what were we going to do? What would anyone do? Some may choose to stoop to his level, and start exchanging curse words, over a silly situation. For a moment there, I kept thinking it’s Ramadan. It’s Ramadan. It’s Ramadan. I don’t want to undo the fasting of the day for this ignorant racist… Oh, to hell with fasting, he deserves to be reprimanded somehow. It’s safe to say I was at a struggle with my own thoughts. He went at it again, “Where’s your burka?” And went on about us attempting to steal his cab.  Breaking my silence and snapping out of the sense of utter shock, I shouted back, “WHAT?! If anything YOU stole OUR cab, not the other way around. We were waiting at that pavement before you even got there. So tell me, how is it that we stole your cab when we were there before you?” Expecting to get into a heated debate over who deserved the cab, turns out he felt it was his turn at silence. He rolled his window back up, and soon enough what felt like the longest red light in history turned to green and the taxicab rushes off. Did he roll his window because he realized he was wrong or did he just run out of Islam-related insults to shout back?

For a second there, I felt proud. I managed to contain myself, even though every inch in my body wanted to cause this man incomprehensible levels of suffering. Soon enough, I felt ashamed, why didn’t I, at least verbally, teach this man a lesson in common courtesy so that he won’t go on spreading those hurtful racial slurs at every Muslim he encounters. Realistically, I knew I couldn’t change much, what he thought seemed to be engrained too deep for anyone whether for a few minutes or even for an hour to change. Though, I could’ve tried. For hours, actually days, I was just reliving that moment in my head. The truth of the matter is, this man reminded me how accepted it was in today’s world to be prejudiced against Muslims. For actors in Hollywood, being anti-Black, anti-Jew or anti-homosexual was career suicide, but being anti-Islamic was just a case of ‘freedom of speech’. Not that the bubble that is Hollywood represents the rest of the world in anyway, it does, in this situation, foreshadow a disturbing occurrence. The Muslims of today, because of an act of a few sick-minded individuals acting on beliefs that have no Islamic legitimacy, have been forced to endure this modern form of ‘tolerated racism’. The dilemma here is that on one side you have the freedom of speech claim where everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no matter how flawed and prejudiced it may be. On the other side, you have nations and millions of individuals being forced, sometimes on a daily basis, to endure constant abuse on making a personal choice to believe in one faith not another. So what triumphs here, freedom of speech or the freedom to choose? 

Answer? I have none. I don’t know what’s the answer. I still don’t even know if I took the right course of action or not. I don’t think I’ll ever know. Cowardly, I will continue to convince myself, like many do, that one-day they’ll understand. One-day, it won’t be acceptable to use excuses such as freedom of speech to abuse nations for the mistake of individuals. One-day, I won’t have to be patted down like a fugitive when I go to the airport, just because of a piece of cloth.

Apparently, he was recently in Abu Dhabi working on some new attractions there and OH get this there's going to be a new segregated theme park in Saudi, HA! Bill talked about working on the new Harry Potter attraction. We discussed the different attractions and especially my favorite one the Space Mountain ride in Orlando. Although, I did tell him that the ride wasn't as safe as the one in EuroDisney. Apparently, it had to do with when the ride was built, well WHO CARES it's an amazing ride ANYWAY.

Oh, how I wish I could tap my ruby slippers, like Dorothy did, and wish that I had his life! Sooo beyond AMAZING!