Social Change Meets Local Resistance

I was looking out the window today thinking about what social changes have occurred in Qatar that I can talk about? I mean, compared to revolutions that are happening all over the Arab world, there seemed to be nothing going one, plain and simple. But as the cars passed by in front of my eyes, I thought, “wait a minute, if it wasn’t for that gas in those cars right now, this place would look different in everyway possible.” That is dramatic social change that started seventy years ago, and is still occurring day-after-day.

            In the past decade Qatar faced huge developments. Construction sites covered larger parts of the city than established buildings. The population has grown dramatically in the process, creating an increase in traffic and pollution. Urbanization was clear too, as people from villages in the outskirts of Doha moved to the city center to secure a job and improve their lifestyle. All of that change was fueled by a growth in the economy and a government that opened up the country to the world after many years of isolations.

Translation: "Where are you man! At last the VISA is out we're going to Doha!!

 And we and the sheep, chicken, and fish will be pals in one plate!!

            However, not all locals accepted the degree of openness to the world. Some believed that the country is growing too fast, and others saw that it is important for  change to be adaptive to the local culture. For example, the recent introduction of pork in some markets in Doha caused some furious heads to speak up in radio through Watani Alhabib Sabah’alkhair show, or through blogging and social media. A group of online activists called for a national boycott to the The Pearl where pork would have been sold in open restaurants for the first time. Some cartoonist expressed their own views in the local newspapers on their own way (see picture above)! And rumor says it, the government had decided to listen to those concerns and limit down the selling of alcohol and pork in the country. Nothinng official come out yet.