Gulf Studies Center
http://hdl.handle.net/10576/3595
2024-03-29T11:10:44ZGrowing but Nonmutual: Unequal Trade Dependencies and the Future of the GCC’s Economic Integration
http://hdl.handle.net/10576/51519
Growing but Nonmutual: Unequal Trade Dependencies and the Future of the GCC’s Economic Integration
Eskandar, Glnar
Despite political tensions2 and commercial competition3, trade between the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) remains surprisingly robust. The steadily rising exchange of goods within the GCC is noteworthy, if only because these states vary greatly in size but not in economic composition. The dependencies formed by this trade should be the subject of study, particularly when the union’s smallest economies are building high degrees of reliance on larger neighbors who have relatively less to gain from trading with them. The GCC’s biggest market, Saudi Arabia, has the least to gain or lose from intra-bloc trade, and therefore little incentive to encourage economic cooperation with its neighbors.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a 40-year-old trade bloc comprising the six relatively homogenous economies of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Despite their similar industrial compositions, trade between these states is not insignificant. The union’s free trade and customs agreements have facilitated the flow of goods across borders, although the differences in scale and demographic needs within the GCC mean that trading with neighbors is more important to some GCC states than others. Yet, the analysis of 2010-21 trade data shows that even the embargo imposed on Qatar by three fellow members (Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE) and the ensuring ‘Gulf Rift’ did not prevent intra-bloc trade from increasing over time.
2023-01-01T00:00:00ZFamily and Citizenship in the Gulf: The future of citizenship for non-national men who marry to national women
http://hdl.handle.net/10576/50362
Family and Citizenship in the Gulf: The future of citizenship for non-national men who marry to national women
Sila, Hendriyadi; Umar, Sharique
Cross-national marriages states bring forth various benefits, including increased cross-cultural interaction, prevention of genetic disorders, and reduced marriage costs compared to endogamous unions. While, as per statistics, the number of these marriages is increasing in all the GCC states, there is a significant gap in the literature concerning the implications and the prospects of the current citizenship policies on the families. Within the context of citizenship acquisition, this research investigates the policies and practices of the GCC states concerning the citizenship eligibility of the spouses and children of national women who marry non-national men. The study conducts a comparative analysis of the legal and policy frameworks in the GCC countries, and it discusses their constitutional provisions, immigration laws, and citizenship policies. Additionally, the study examines the underlying social, cultural, and economic factors that influence the formulation of these policies while also investigating their consequences on the families affected by them. The research also draws on case studies of families affected by these policies to explore their lived experiences. The findings of the study reveal significant differences in the legal and policy frameworks across the GCC countries, with some countries granting citizenship to the children and spouses of national women who marry non-nationals while others do not. The study also highlights the impact of these policies on gender equality and family rights, including issues related to citizenship, property rights, and access to social services. The paper concludes that the prospects of citizenship for families of national women who marry non-national men vary greatly across the GCC countries. Accordingly, it emphasizes the need for a more gender-sensitive approach to citizenship policies in the region. It also recommends reforms to ensure current citizenship policies acknowledge their implications on gender equality and family rights.
2023-01-01T00:00:00ZThe complex dynamics of household labour and women's empowerment in Qatar
http://hdl.handle.net/10576/50363
The complex dynamics of household labour and women's empowerment in Qatar
Umar, Sharique; Karbon, Wajdan
The Gulf region has experienced a significant increase in the employment of female domestic workers, commonly known as "maids," from developing countries in Africa and Asia. In a state like Qatar, which boasts one of the highest per capita incomes, it is common for native families to employ multiple maids to fulfill various household duties, including childcare. This study aims to analyze the impact of domestic workers on the empowerment and socioeconomic trajectories of Qatari women, taking into account the interplay between cultural expectations, societal norms, and women's aspirations. By examining the influence of domestic workers on Qatari women's empowerment, this research will shed light on the complex dynamics of household labor division, gender roles, and social change in the Gulf region. Through a mixed-methods approach incorporating formal and informal interviews, reviews of existing surveys, and analysis of secondary sources, this research will delve into the experiences and perspectives of Qatari women within the context of employing domestic workers. The study will investigate various dimensions of empowerment, including decision-making authority, economic independence, participation in professional and public spheres, and self-confidence. Existing literature on South-South migration primarily focuses on issues surrounding male labor migrants, while studies on female domestic workers often emphasize their vulnerable circumstances. In contrast, this study aims to present a theoretical perspective that views domestic workers as subjects of sociological inquiry and knowledge production, moving beyond the portrayal of their victimization.
2023-01-01T00:00:00ZThe painters of modern life. Family, family roles and space in the first generation of contemporary Qatari painters
http://hdl.handle.net/10576/50349
The painters of modern life. Family, family roles and space in the first generation of contemporary Qatari painters
Alonso, Javier Guirado
In the 1970s, a group of Qatari artists started to depict the changes in livelihoods in the country since the 1960s. These group of artists, better exemplified by the Three Friends (Youssef Ahmad, Mohammed Ali Abdullah, and Hassan al-Mulla), but also by the pioneer Jassim Zaini, and names like Mohammed al-Jaidah, Sultan al-Sulaiti or Essa al-Ghanem, constitutes some of the first artistic testimonies of Qatar by Qatari voices. This paper explores how the tensions between modernity and indigeneity defined and transformed ideas about the family, its members, and their relationship, usually in relation to concepts of space and labor. Recurring themes include labor and masculinity, the domestic space, femininity and nationhood, or technology and daily life, as shown in early works like Jassim Zaini's The Bicycle Passenger (ca. 1960s) and Our Epic Tale (1973) and later examples like Hassan al-Mulla's Sleeping or Salman al-Malik's Modesty (both 1981). Some preliminary conclusions suggest that gender and family roles, as perceived by the artists, were being negotiated across spaces and new labor dynamics in a way where the individual was at the center, and not just a witness and respondent to the socioeconomic and cultural transformations. Family and family members in the post oil era are not simply the inheritance of a traditional institution but the product of the will of individuals under new economic relations and technical advances. The analysis relies mostly on the works of the artists cited above, but also on other sources like Youssef Ahmad's book al-funun al-tashkiliyyah al-mu'asira fi Qatar (1986), the Mathaf exhibition Swalif. Qatari Art between Memory and Modernity (2011), in which most of these artists were featured, or the recent Khaleej Modern (2022) at the NYU Abu Dhabi art gallery curated by Aisha Stoby, as well as on secondary literature about the topic.
2023-01-01T00:00:00Z