The Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) at Qatar University (QU) hosted a group of political science scholars taking part in a Middle East and North Africa (Mena) workshop, sponsored by the American Political Science
Association.
Held for the first time in the Gulf region, the programme brought together a competitively-selected group of 22 promising junior scholars studying the issue of oil and politics in the Arab world, from universities in the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
The workshop, entitled “Cure or Curse? The Benefits and Challenges of Oil Wealth”, revolved around the theme of resource wealth and its impact on democracy, state-building, political stability, and state-society relations in the Gulf and in the wider Mena.
On the concluding day of the workshop, SESRI brought together members of the wider academic and policymaking communities in Qatar in a discussion of the important issues examined over the course of the week.
Moderated by SESRI director Dr Darwish al-Emadi, the panel of speakers included the former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Energy and Industry of Qatar HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, Kuwaiti professor of political science Dr Ghanim al-Najjar, and prominent US-based Gulf scholar Dr Michael Herb.
Each speaker offered his insights on the opportunities and challenges of oil and gas wealth in Qatar and in the Gulf region, and noted the divergent economic, social, and political outcomes of individual Gulf
countries.
Al-Attiyah addressed the historical context of economic and political relations between Qatar and other Gulf countries, external collaborations between Qatar and European as well as Asian countries, and recent efforts at investment diversification on the part of Qatar
Petroleum.
Al-Attiyah also highlighted the challenges of ensuring the sustainability of oil wealth for future generations in Qatar, the instability of petroleum prices, the political context of Qatar-Gulf economic co-operation, and instability on the Arabian Peninsula.
Dr Darwish al-Emadi, HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, Dr Ghanim al-Najjar and Dr Michael Herb at the workshop.
