Surveillance in Qatar: A Mechanism of Social Control

Among many things, the basic human experience involves the interaction with other human beings. From the moment we take our first screaming gasp of air in the world to the moment we part it, we behave, interact, and communicate with other people for a specific purpose, in a particular way in any given time and place. How we behave, interact, and communicate with each other differ between two people, two groups, two societies, two nations, and so on – and these differences are part of the reason why human experiences all over the world are not identical. But just how different are they? How similar could they be? Well, we do not just decide to behave or act in a certain way. And we certainly do not come up with our own rules of behavior individually. Norms are socially constructed. And we are socialized to accept them and act upon them.





What is considered “right” or “wrong” in any given society, such as Qatar, is socially constructed, and there are mechanisms that enforce conformity to these socially constructed rules of behavior or norms. Mechanisms of social control include formal and informal sanctions. If you happen to be the employee of the month at a McDonald’s for example, your picture would be hung up on the wall in the restaurant, and you would receive a star badge. These are formal sanctions or expressions of approval that are supported by written rules by the organization. Formal sanctions can be expressions of disapproval as well.



Another form of social control is surveillance. Surveillance is everywhere in Qatar. In public places, malls, shopping centers, buildings, offices, streets, highways, petrol stations, restaurants, etc. Ferrante defines surveillance as a mechanism of social that involves “monitoring the movements, activities, conversations, and associations of people who are believed likely to engage in wrongdoing; catching those who engage in it; preventing people from engaging in it; and ensuring that the public is protected from wrongdoers,” (p. 176). Qatar has strict laws and guidelines about public behavior, and dress code. Surveillance is a method of ensuring that people follow these laws and do not deviate from them. If people sense that they are being watched, they are likely to refrain from performing any illicit or prohibited behavior.



Even though the cameras shown in the pictures that are commonly found all over Doha do not really show a camera perspective; meaning that you wouldn’t really know if the camera is watching you or not, people regard them as though they are constantly monitoring them regardless of whether they are in fact doing so. The effect is all the same. It prevents people from engaging in deviant behavior and helps catch those in the act of deviance if it occurs.




For example, in the convenient store, Sidra at Woqod petrol station, if someone attempts to shoplift or in my case take photos in the shop you are likely to be caught and negatively sanctioned. When I was pointing my phone around to snap some photos, the manager, who was nowhere in sight when I came in, came up to me and asked me if I belonged to some organization that had the authority to take pictures inside. He told me it was prohibited to take photos in the store, and that they will confiscate my phone if I continue to take any pictures. I withdraw from the scene and quietly put my phone away. However, that does not stop me from taking some more pictures inside the next-door McDonalds, outside the car wash, and other areas of the petrol station and food complex.




The purpose of these surveillance cameras inside McDonald’s would be to ensure that workers are not slacking on the job, are not stealing any food, and not eating or chatting while on their shift. Cleaners must diligently complete their work, servers must serve customers their food according to the written rules of the company, and even customers are monitored in case of any prohibited or illegal behavior such as vandalizing restaurant property, violence, theft, etc.




Universities in Education City are also packed with these cameras. You are likely to come across them in almost every corner, in front of every staircase, elevator, and around classrooms, offices and in hallways. They can also be found outdoors at entrances, in parking lots, and on the roads. There are important norms and rules that students, faculty and staff and even visitors (excluding members of education) should follow in education city.



The following list was forwarded via email to all Northwestern in Qatar students by the Associate Dean of Students:
“General reminders about appropriate conduct in Education City and generally in Qatar.

1. Interactions with the opposite gender which may be deemed culturally inappropriate (examples include but are not limited to public displays of affection, holding hands, kissing, etc.) are prohibited.
2. Eating, drinking or smoking in public spaces during the times of fasting in Ramadan are prohibited.
3. Clothing or lack thereof that is culturally inappropriate (e.g. shorts and skirts that reveal the knees, sleeveless or thin-strapped tops, clothing that is too revealing, being shirtless for males or females, etc.) is prohibited.
4. Residents and visitors must comply with reasonable requests/directives from QF officials and branch campus staff.
5. Residents and visitors may not obstruct QF Officials or law enforcement officers in the execution of their professional duties.
6. Language that is disrespectful or inappropriate directed towards members of the Education City community is prohibited.”



These cameras are a powerful mechanism of control that helps to prevent deviance from these norms, ensure conformity to them, and allow officers and security guards to deal with deviant people in the situation where the breaking any of these rules of behavior occurs.