Competence and Electability: Exploring the Limitations on Female Candidates in Qatar

Attitudes about women's expertise can play a role in limiting their access to influential public spaces, including elected government positions. In the Arab Gulf, women remain underrepresented in electoral politics. This research seeks to answer two important questions. Does this underrepresentation stem from the belief that women will govern incompetently? Or are they viewed as less electable? A field experiment is used to investigate the attitudes of young adults in Qatar. It finds bias against the women candidate exists for both competence and electability among some subsamples of students, including female, liberal, and advanced students

Public awareness and perceptions of taxation in a changing Gulf economy

For the VAT scheme to succeed in Qatar, public awareness is necessary. Consumers need to understand how and why the VAT will affect their budgets. Perhaps more importantly, businesses need to understand how to modify accounting and payment systems to comply with the new tax law. Our findings, however, uncover a troubling reality: a widespread lack of knowledge of the VAT, for both citizens and expatriates. This indicates that for a successful rollout of the VAT scheme, greater communication to all segments of the economy is required. This communication should involve, first, making information about the VAT readily accessible to the public, and second, educating businesses about the requirements and implications of the tax, perhaps through a series of tax workshops for businesses. يعد الوعي العام ضرورة إلنجاح أية خطة لضريبة القيمة المضافة في قطر. إذ يجب أن يفهم المستهلكون كيفية تأثير ضريبة القيمة المضافة على ميزانياتهم وسبب ذلك. كما أن من األهمية أن تفهم الشركات لكيفية تعديل أنظمة السداد والمحاسبة لاللتزام بقانون الضرائب الجديد. ومع ذلك، كشفت النتائج التي توصلنا إليها عن حقيقة مثيرة للقلق وهي ضعف المعرفة بضريبة القيمة المضافة لدى المواطنين ٍّ والوافدين على حد ً سواء. ويشير هذا إلى أن طرح برنامج ناجح للضريبة على القيمة المضافة يتطلب تواصلا ً أكبر وأوسع مع كافة قطاعات االقتصاد. وينبغي أن يشمل هذا التواصل أولا إتاحة المعلومات حول ضريبة ً القيمة المضافة بسهولة للجمهور، وثاني ّ ا تعريف الشركات بمتطلبات هذه الضريبة وآثارها، ربما يتحقق هذا ُ من خالل سلسلة ورش عمل تعقد للشركات حول الضرائب

Local Representation in the Context of Decentralization: Mayors, Citizens, and Local Governance in Latin America

Representation is a basic component of democracy and yet scientific understanding of how it works has been limited to the national level of government, especially in the developing world. This research develops and tests theories regarding two key aspects of local representation: government responsiveness and procedural inclusiveness. I examine local representation in the context of decentralization because local officials and citizens interact according to the set of decentralization policies that define the local political sphere. I find that both contextual factors and individual-level factors are important determinants of local representation. This study takes three approaches to studying the relationship between local representation and decentralization. First, it uses formal theory to explore the impact of electoral competition on local representation in the dimensions of sector and scope. Decentralization and local capacity are found to constrain the behavior of the mayor. Next, it takes an in-depth look at the representational orientations of mayors, using data collected during fieldwork in Ecuador. It predicts the emergence of attitudes of political openness and administrative responsibility using both individual-level and county-level covariates. Lastly, I consider representation from the citizen’s point of view. Using data from 18 countries in Latin America and two samples of counties in Ecuador, I test the impact of participation on citizen evaluations of local government. I find that participation in general has a limited impact on citizen evaluations, with the exception of direct contact with government

The effects of citizenship status on service utilization and general satisfaction with healthcare: a cross-cultural study

Objective: To explore the role of citizenship status as a predictor of general satisfaction with healthcare services in Qatar, including potential interaction with utilization and health insurance coverage type. Design: A cross-sectional survey conducted in 2012. Setting: A household survey in the State of Qatar in the Arab Gulf. Participants: A nationally representative sample of 2750 citizens and noncitizens aged 18 years and older. Main Outcome: General satisfaction status with Qatar’s healthcare system. Measures: Citizenship status, healthcare utilization, health insurance type. Results: Citizens were significantly less likely to be satisfied with Qatar’s healthcare system than noncitizens (odds ratio (OR) = 0.30, P < 0.001). The association between private health insurance and overall satisfaction was not significantly different between citizens and noncitizens (P = 0.19). However, the association between utilization of healthcare services and overall satisfaction was moderated by citizenship (P < 0.001). Among citizens, non-users were less likely to be satisfied than recent users (OR = 1.88, P < 0.05), while the opposite pattern was observed among noncitizens (OR = 0.51, P < 0.05). These patterns persisted even after controlling for potential confounders. Conclusions: The study revealed significant population differences in satisfaction between recent users and non-users within citizenship groups. These differences may stem from different expectations with respect to healthcare services. Understanding these expectations may have important policy implications for cross-cultural contexts

Testing Western Media Icons Influence on Arab Women’s Body Size and Shape Ideals: An Experimental Approach

Western media globalization is implicated in the spread of the thin body ideal to traditional societies. Qatar—a small conservative Middle-Eastern country—has recently witnessed rapid Westernization, but the influence of Western media icons on women’s body image dissatisfaction has rarely been studied here. A 2 (celebrity or model) × 3 (thin, average, or heavy) plus a control condition between-subject experiment tested the primary hypothesis that exposure to images of thin Western models or celebrities promotes a thinner body ideal compared to neutral images. A sample of young women (n = 1145) was randomly assigned to experimental images as part of an online survey. After exposure to images, participants rated their current and desired body size and shape, reported celebrity liking, and evaluated their favorite celebrity’s body. We found little support for the desire of thinness. Viewing thin- and average-sized celebrities was significantly associated with desiring a heavier and a thinner look (respectively) among those favoring thin celebrities. Images of thin models induced the desire for a curvaceous body figure with hips especially among those favoring celebrities with hips. The findings highlight important nuances in the influence of Western media icons on body image among women in a non-Western culture

Mobility Competitiveness and Security: Expatriate Perspectives from Qatar

Introduction: In order to create and sustain a competitive, knowledge-based economy, Qatar must be able to continually attract, retain and integrate expatriate workers. As described in the Qatar National Development Strategy (QNV 2011 p. 105), "for the foreseeable future... Qatar will not have enough citizens to meet the expanding requirements of a rapidly growing, diversifying and technologically advanced economy." Attracting the right mix of expatriates and retaining the best ones, however, is a major challenge for economy with a highly ambitious post-oil agenda, located in an unstable region, and where over 90% of workers are both foreign and temporary. Yet, little is known as to Qatar's place attractiveness and local security affect the mobility of the country's diverse expatriate population. First, Qatar needs to constantly attract new flows of knowledge and labor needed for economic development and to retain existing pool of skilled foreign workers. This means ensuring that workers view Doha as a comparably more attractive destination than Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Riyadh or Singapore. By definition, the expatriate workforce of Qatar is mobile; that is, with the exception of those born in Qatar, each has already migrated at least once. How do expatriates view Qatar in comparison with other centers, and would they move elsewhere for a better offer? Second, Qatar must ensure that the regional instability seen elsewhere does not impact its reputation as a secure and stable oasis in the Middle East. At the same time, most of the middle- and high-income expatriate workers currently employed in Qatar come the Arab world, many of whom are not new arrivals but long-term members of the expatriate community in Qatar. Some come from the region"s most insecure and unstable locations, which may affect their mobility. How do expatriate residents view the security and stability of Qatar, especially in relation to that of their home countries? Data and Methods: Therefore, SESRI conducted a nationally representative of middle- and high-income expatriates (with a basic salary of greater than 4000 QR per month) to examine the mobility of expatriates currently living in Qatar and the conditions under which they may leave the country. This survey included a randomized choice experiment in which respondents were given sets of hypothetical job offers with varying salaries in a number of regional destinations which are often viewed as competitors for Qatar. They were then asked whether they would choose to take the offer in the new location or stay in Qatar. The survey also included questions related to the security and stability of the respondent's home country and his and her ability to return home. Thus project investigate the relative attractiveness of Qatar in relation to other common expatriate destinations in the Gulf and East Asia in conjunction with salary; second, to examine how expatriate residents view the security and stability of Qatar, especially in relation to that of their home countries. In so doing we come better understand how deeply rooted and locally integrated expatriate workers are in Qatar. Accordingly we discuss legislation relevant to expatriate workers in Qatar and its implications for different resident groups. Preliminary Finding: Results indicate that Qatar is rather competitive among similar regional expatriate destinations, and that as long as salaries are competitive the country can retain Westerner and Asian migrants. Arab migrants respond very little to salary increases or decreases. None of the nationality groups seem overly driven by place attractiveness, and most seem to view living in Doha the same as other regional centers. Arabs expatriates in particular are deeply rooted, driven by security and community, but we found that many from this group are unable to return to their home countries. These results are discussed in the context of recent legislative initiatives in Qatar.qscienc

Innovative Virtual Role Play Simulations for Managing Substance Use Conversations: Pilot Study Results and Relevance During and After COVID-19

Background: Substance use places a substantial burden on our communities, both economically and socially. In light of COVID-19, it is predicted that as many as 75,000 more people will die from alcohol and other substance use and suicide as a result of isolation, new mental health concerns, and various other stressors related to the pandemic. Public awareness campaigns that aim to destigmatize substance use and help individuals have meaningful conversations with friends, coworkers, or family members to address substance use concerns are a timely and cost-effective means of augmenting existing behavioral health efforts related to substance use. These types of interventions can supplement the work being done by existing public health initiatives. Objective: This pilot study examines the impact of the One Degree: Shift the Influence role play simulation, designed to teach family, friends, and coworkers to effectively manage problem-solving conversations with individuals that they are concerned about regarding substance use. Methods: Participants recruited for this mixed methods study completed a presurvey, the simulation, and a postsurvey, and were sent a 6-week follow-up survey. The simulation involves practicing a role play conversation with a virtual human coded with emotions, a memory, and a personality. A virtual coach provides feedback in using evidence-based communication strategies such as motivational interviewing. Results: A matched sample analysis of variance revealed significant increases at follow-up in composite attitudinal constructs of preparedness (P Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that conversation-based simulations like One Degree: Shift the Influence that use role play practice can teach individuals to use evidence-based communication strategies and can cost-effectively reach geographically dispersed populations to support public health initiatives for primary prevention

Social Media Usage and Women's Empowerment in Qatar: Evidence from a National Representative Survey

Introduction Social media usage has grown in importance over the past decade, particularly in Middle East. During this period, it has come to be recognized as more than a tool for social connections between individuals, with research demonstrating how it can empowering people socially, politically and economically[1]. Past research has demonstrated the impact of social media in areas as diverse as such as healthcare provision, political participation, and marketing[2]. However, how and to what extent social media usage contributes to women's empowerment in the Arab region has not been thoroughly examined. Academic and non-academic studies alike have focused heavily on a few well-known cases of social media activism and woman's rights, such as, women driving in Saudi Arabia[3] or the Arab Spring in Egypt[4]. These studies raise a number of relevant questions. Is social media potent in the population more broadly, or is it just a tool for activists and polemics? If it does empower women, does it do so by shaping deeply rooted attitudes and norms or does it mere reflect the value of the general population? How can we understand the role of traditional education in shaping attitudes and values in light of the large volumes of readily available information provided by social media? The current paper examines social media usage in Qatar and its influences on attitudes toward women's empowerment and considers the complex role of education. We use a national representative survey data from a 2017 survey of Qatari nationals to test our expectations. In the last twenty years, Qatar has experienced a significant shift in economic development, and education accessibility. The State of Qatar has widely sought to include women in public life, particularly in the process of decision-making. Yet, the debate about the role of social media in increasing women's awareness of their equal rights in holding positions of power and contributing to their political and economic empowerment is not widely discussed in Qatar. Thus, Qatar is a case where researchers might expect to find changing attitudes in spite of the absence of major social media feminist activists. The paper also explores a number of trends emerging in the analysis of social media usage, across demographic groups such as age, gender, marital status and socio-economic differences including education levels and household income. Methodology A questionnaire was initially designed in English and then translated into Arabic by the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) to collect all necessary information related to the study. In this survey, the target population included people who are 18 years or older and live in residential housing units in Qatar during the survey reference period (May 6th-27th, 2017). It includes groups of Qataris and expatriates, though the analysis in this paper focuses on Qataris. It is important to note that while preparing the sample for the survey, the Qatari population sub-group was over sampled in order to ensure that Qataris were well represented in the survey. The survey was administered in CAPI (computer assisted data collection) method for face to face interviews. The interviews were conducted at the home of the respondent. In terms of data analysis, all individual interviews were merged and saved in a single BLAISE data file. This dataset was then cleaned, coded and saved in STATA formats for analysis. Analysis of the data included order logistical regression with appropriate calculation of interactive effects and predicted probabilities for interpretation. Findings and Implications Data from the 2017 survey are newly available and thus the findings discussed here are preliminary. We find that social media usage in the examined population is related to increased support for woman in community leadership among Qatari females but not males. This finding is robust to a number of statistical controls, including for the respondent's level of education. In fact, a respondent's level of formal education has much less predictive power than social media usage among female Qataris. Furthermore, we find that social media usage is only weakly related to political variables, such as interest in politics. This suggests that social media may be working to empower women first through changing gender attitudes and only secondly through engagement with the political sphere. These findings are relevant to both academics who are seeking to understand the mechanisms through which social media may empower women and policymakers in Qatar who are concerned with advancing their welfare. It shows that woman can use social media to find their voice and engage with the public sphere, even where political activism has not been common. [1] Dubai School of Government, "Arab Social Media Report, Vol 1, No. 3, November 2011. [2] TNS, "Arab Social Media Report", First Report 2015. [3] Begum, Rothna, "The Brave Female Activists Who Fought to Lift Saudi Arabia's Driving Ban", News Deeply, September 29th, 2017. [4] Tufekci, Zeynep and Wilson, Christopher, "Social Media and the Decision to Participate in Political Protest: Observations From Tahrir Square", Journal of Communication, 62 (2012) 363-37.qscienc

Willingness to participate in genome testing: a survey of public attitudes from Qatar

Genomics has the potential to revolutionize medical approaches to disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, but it does not come without challenges. The success of a national population-based genome program, like the Qatar Genome Program (QGP), depends on the willingness of citizens to donate samples and take up genomic testing services. This study explores public attitudes of the Qatari population toward genetic testing and toward participating in the QGP. A representative sample of 837 adult Qataris was surveyed in May 2016. Approximately 71% of respondents surveyed reported that they were willing to participate in the activities of the QGP. Willingness to participate was significantly associated with basic literacy in genetics, a family history of genetic diseases, and previous experience with genetic testing through premarital screening. Respondents cited the desire to know more about their health status as the principle motivation for participating, while lack of time and information were reported as the most important barriers. With QGP plans to ramp up the scale of its national operation toward more integration into clinical care settings, it is critical to understand public attitudes and their determinants. The results demonstrate public support but also identify the need for more education and individual counseling that not only provide information on the process, challenges, and benefits of genomic testing, but that also address concerns about information security

Women and Political Interest in Qatar: Moving Ahead but Not Catching Up

Interest in politics is an important ingredient in the formation of civil society, which in turn provides the basis for good governance. Existing research has not clarified drivers of political interest with respect to females in the Arabian Peninsula. This article investigates the gender gap in political interest in the context of the State of Qatar, incorporating factors such as education, income, and marital status as well as age and generational effects. It also incorporates religiosity, beliefs about traditional gender roles, and the impact of social media and Twitter usage as predictors of political interest. Nationally representative survey data from the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute from 2011 to 2014 are used to examine attitudes of political interest. Analysis indicates that gender gaps are persistent in spite of significant progress made by women in this area. Education and age are consistent predictors of political interest, followed by weaker positive effects for social media activity