The Role of Qatari Women : Between Tribalism and Modernity

The State of Qatar is emerging as one of the major players in the economic, humanitarian and political fields. However, social development is a more complex issue; it's almost an organic phenomenon that simply cannot be fast forwarded as the economic developments. The people of Qatar experienced a rare occurrence in which the rapid economic development surpassed the social development, leaving the people in a state of a culture shock in their own backyard. The relationship between tribalism and modernity, and particularly the impact of this relationship on Qatari women, is examined in this study. The study reveals that despite gender and tribal differences in attitudes, important traditional perceptions of women's roles have been undermined in favor of modern views. Economic developments, quality education and the influence of strong female leaders are responsible for the greater social participation of Qatari women in the society and for the slow shifting of traditional tribal worldviews.