Policy-Making in a Transformative State: The Case of Qatar

Abstract

Qatar, a tiny sheikhdom on the Gulf, has drawn—often deliberately— international interest far out of proportion to its size, in part because of its intriguing contradictions. With a national citizenry of only around 300,000 out of a total population of 2.3 million (most of whom are foreign work-ers), it has the world's highest per capita GDP, the third largest reserves of natural gas, and is the largest exporter of liquefi ed natural gas (LNG). Despite its hydrocarbon wealth, it has a national vision to transform the country into a knowledge economy by 2030, and it has engaged in proj-ects, partnerships, and events that reach far beyond natural gas exports. Qatar bid (unsuccessfully) for both the 2016 and the 2020 Summer Olympics, and it bid for and won the FIFA World Cup for 2022. FIFA and economic diversifi cation are behind an estimated $220 billion infra-structure investment program that has made Doha, the capital city, a giant construction zone. Under its brand as a Western ally, Qatar has become