When Car Showrooms Persist on Displaying Social Class Divisions

To get a clearer understanding of the class system and its effect on cultural consumption, I visited the Nissan car showroom and took some pictures to show the distinction between different class categories in Qatar.

In the Nissan showroom there were the smallest forms of family cars like the Nissan Tida.

Then bigger cars like the Nissan Sunny and Nissan Altima.

Then there were race cars like the 350Z and the Nissan Maxima.

Then there were varying sizes of CUVs starting from the small Nissan Juke and including Nissan Qashqai up until the Nissan Xtrail and Nissan Murano.

Finally, the biggest forms of SUVs ranged from the Nissan Xterra and Nissan Armada up until the Nissan Patrol, being the biggest and most expensive SUV.

All the different cars I mentioned had their own divisions like X, S, SE and ES that range in the available options and price as well. However, these cars are not the whole collection of Nissan yet, there is on the other side of the showroom another brand owned by Nissan called Infiniti.

Infiniti is the Luxury brand of Nissan. In the Infiniti showroom there were also cars that vary in size. Almost all the Infiniti cars are based on one of Nissan’s cars platforms and redesigned to attain luxury. For example, the Nissan Patrol has its Infiniti equivalent the QX56.

The Nissan Murano has its Infiniti equivalent the JX.

Looking at the whole spectrum of all cars from the Nissan Tida up until the most expensive Infiniti QX56, I began to understand class systems. In a class system people are stratified according to characteristics such as income, occupation and educational degree. The class system is made up of different social classes who are a group of people who share a similar position in society based on wealth, education, and occupational prestige. The social class of an individual determines their occupation in the society in terms of family relations, politics, physical health and mental health. However, what this blog is interested in is how can social class determine a person’s consumption of culture? Cultural consumption is the reception, interpretation and experience of various types of culture. Differences in cultural consumption are socially constructed so that they can help maintain socio-economic class boundaries.

Buying a Nissan Tida is always associated with new expatriates who join Doha, just starting their journey with low income. Then the Nissan Altima is associated with older expats especially young men who like a sporty looking car but can only afford a big salon. Then Nissan Patrol is associated with an average Qatari family household since its good in the desert and can carry the big family on one vehicle. The inside of the Patrol has a fancy interior with expensive leather seats and mind dizzying features on its dashboard. However for upper class Qataris, an expensive fancy-looking Patrol with a huge spectrum of features may not be enough. Hence, Infinities with their especially-made luxurious designs and endless features appeal to upper-class men in power.

In sociology, buying normal Nissan cars can be called lowbrow cultural consumption, which is the mass culture stereotypically associated with lower and working classes. However, buying an Infiniti is highbrow cultural consumption of fine arts that are only consumed by the affluent classes.

What is considered highbrow versus what is considered lowbrow changes from a community to a community. For example, in Egypt where I come from, owning a Nissan SUV is considered highbrow culture consumption. Maybe in Nigeria, owning a car in the first place, regardless of its make, can be highbrow culture consumption. However, in Qatar owning a Nissan is lowbrow to many affluent classes. Even Infiniti can be considered lowbrow for elite Bentley owners.

The distinction between lowbrow and highbrow also changes with time. For Example, a Qatari friend told me that buying a Japanese car was considered lowbrow for all Qataris twenty years ago, even if it was a Land Cruiser. It was seen like buying a Kia today in Qatar. However, with time, Japanese cars, especially the luxurious brands, turned into highbrow.

The idea of choosing a car to buy explains the concept of conspicuous consumption. Conspicuous consumption is an attempt to display class and status through the purchase or consumption of high culture and luxury goods or services. Indeed a Nissan Tida has luxurious options when compared to cars you would see in a poor developing country: it has air condition, an entertainment system, ample space to seat five people, some built in safety, and low fuel consumption. However, rich people would buy an Infiniti just for the sole idea to be distinct and be recognizable by their social class wherever they go. I can easily claim that most Infiniti owners know less about its features, than what they know about the looks and the social status associated with them.

Shopping Habits: Women and Men

People’s taste varies from a person to another. It depends on what is your gender. Men usually do not care what to wear as along as it is emphasizing their muscles. On the hand, women likes to wear what can represent them as a sexy cute attractive female that men will keep an eye on. It is a fact that men care about how a woman look compared to her personality. In some books that I read, 80% of men’s attraction to women is based on their looks and 20% is based on their personalities. In contrast, women 80% care about the personality and 20% about the looks. In general, women like to go shopping to look good and keep on track on the fashion revolution that is occurring. Women are usually accompanied with their men or their girlfriends. In the Qatari Society, women here go to shop alone, leaving men at work or home.

I went to Villagio Mall yesterday to observe the sociological pattern of how people go shopping and with whom. I found a lot of interesting facts that I have not known before. Qatari women in Qatar go shopping alone, or with kids and girlfriends. Qatari men do not interact with the shopping process and buying clothes. It is the mother’s mission to buy clothes for herself or the kids. However, non-Qatari people from different nationalities go shopping with anyone they find available. Asians, other Arabs, White, Black and people from different ethnicities go with their wives. Social class has nothing to do with people who go shopping. It is all about the mentality. Qatari men buy their own clothes without the help of women. They have their own tailor.

In Sociology, this discrimination, if I may call it, varies from a society to another. I just wanted to experiment the concept of gender socialization. I found out the norms here. It is interesting that only non-Qatari men interact with women to buy clothes and different stuff for the house. What was not clear to me is that even it was a Friday night, not a lot of children were there. This is made it a bit harder for me to observe another pattern which is the shopping for kids. Who does it? And with who? Overall, I found what I want, and it was interesting to learn these things about the Qatari society.

Cars ARE racist!

Since cars were invented in 1894, it developed in an astonishing way that it serves human where ever they go. As I have seen in my homeland Syria, Qatar and the United States of America, certain people from a certain social class and race tend to buy and drive a specific brand of a car. In Syria, people are most likely to buy cheap cars no matter what was the brand because of the high taxes, but some people tend to buy the Syrian or Persian made cars because it serves them better and they can easily sell it later. Of course a person who is in the high middle class would buy an expensive car such as Audi, Land Rover or BMW. If you have the money you can buy any car you want no matter how much were the taxes. As for government officials who do not pay taxes like others, a rise of racism in terms of social classes and positions creates hatred between the people of the society. However, people still continuing to live normally.

As in Qatar, it is different. They are no taxes on cars and it doesn't really matter, but a lot of people tend to have a taste of what car they purchase. Qataris prefers Toyota especially Land cruisers. On the other hand for residence, they have a different taste. Syrians likes Mercedes, Sudanese likes Toyota Corolla, Desi residences like Nissan Sunny and the list continues. It depends on what is your nationality or race to ride a car. With the different of social classes, there are still people who want to move up to the second level by taking a loan from the bank and buying their favorite car
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In sociology, race and ethnicity reproduces social classes and it is not fair sometimes. If we would go back when the USA was racist to an unacceptable level. If a cop sees a black person driving an expensive car, this black dude will be most likely pulled over and questioned about where he got that car. The perspective that was taken about this race’s behaviors throws a lot of questions. Back to Qatar, where the majority residences of Qatar are Desi, It would be shocking to see an Indian driving a Ferrari (with respect to all nationalities). People who live in Qatar are not used to it. It is normal to see an American man or European driving a fancy car because the expectations are that this race gets paid more than others. Racism is everywhere, and it creates different perspectives about others.

Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle, the director of Slumdog Millionaire movie, is captivating his movie as a riddle. The movie is centered on an Indian teen, Jamal Malik, he is uneducated and grows in the slums of Mumbai. Jamal participates in “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?” in its Indian version, and he is close to get the 20 Million rupee. He gets the attention from the police on suspicion of cheating. How does the little slum with low education know all the answers? Is he lucky? Genius? Or does he cheat?

In the movie, it shows Jamal flashbacks the events that happened in his life that had all the answers for the program’s questions. The movie focuses on the background scenes of Jamal that help him to be a Millionaire. This movie is so interesting; it has some drama and hilarious scenes and a bit of romance.

Nonetheless, Slumdog Millionaire clearly shows social class and class division. It is not only about the great music it has or the incredible views, but it indicates important sociological concepts about the class system. The American Dream ideology has a different meaning of what happens in the movie, the American dream ideology believes in the personal effort that achieves upward mobility. However, Jamal achieves social mobility but without any effort, he becomes a millionaire and moves up the social system because of the famous show.

The movie implies the moral consequences of poverty, as shown the police takes Jamal and is surrounded by questioners to admit his cheating. Jamal faces hard times due to the social and economic exclusion because he is born in the Lowbrow culture that associated with lower and working class. The movie shows a dialogue between the police inspectors who discuss the impossibility of what Jamal knows, they are certain that he cheats and can’t know the answers. The title of the movie itself  ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ contains a contrast within it, which provides a symbolic meaning of the content of the movie. Although he becomes a millionaire, he is still seen as on of the Mumbai’s slums, and one of the scenes in the movie shows how the upper class rejects the idea of a slum to be one of the Highbrow culture and to move up the class system, for example the broadcaster is in the wash room with Jamal, writes in the mirror the wrong answer for the 20 Million rupee question, he wants Jamal to lose the contest and go back from where he is, but Jamal chooses the other answer and he becomes a millionaire.

The film’s message is clear that everyone has a chance to be a ‘millionaire’ or to be in the elite class, even Indian slum can do it. But there is always social inequality in real life, as people don’t start from the same starting point to achieve social mobility.

What do Land cruisers represent in Qatar ?

Like in every other country in the world, here in Qatar the social stratification is very evident. The difference between Qatar and other countries however, is that Qatar has one of the highest rates of cultural diversity. So the social stratification here is mostly based on ethnicity. Although the following not 100% accurate, this is basically what each social class contains: First we have the upper classmen, the elite Qatari’s, then we have the westerners that take place at about upper/middle class, then a variety of Arabs/middle easterners that are mostly middle classmen, and finally we have the Asians and southeast Asians that are working/lower class.

From all the Hollywood movies we watch, we notice that the elite in every country have a few traits, things that make them all relate to one another. For example, in the west the elite are known to visit the opera regularly, and play golf. This concept is known as conspicuous leisure. Conspicuous leisure is basically activities done to show one’s social status. Things like the opera and golf are relatively expensive, so the wealthy/elite take place in such things for the sake of showing their social status to the world, and establishing their high standards. Similarly, something like that exists here in Doha, Qatar. The term conspicuous consumption applies more in this situation however. Conspicuous consumption is basically buying really expensive things and showing them off to establish your high standing in society. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about an example of conspicuous consumption in Qatar is a Land Cruiser.

The Land Cruiser is the number one item that can tell you that this person is an elite Qatari. The Land cruiser to the Qatari’s is a thing that highlights their social class. Social class is usually based on occupation and education. But here it's mostly wealth inherited from family members, which leads to social class inherited from family members. Once a Qatari is born into a wealthy family, their social class has already been established. Owning a Land Cruiser is a symbol of wealth and high social standards. While driving around the streets of Doha, I can literally see the power one has driving a Land Cruiser. People know that these Land Cruisers represent wealth and power, and they know not to mess with them. It’s like owning one puts you in an “elite club”, and the members of this “club” distinguish you from the rest of the population once they know you’re a Cruiser owner.

The interesting thing I’ve recently noticed is that others are buying Land Cruisers, and that it’s not just the Qatari’s anymore. Since the Qatari’s aren’t the only wealthy people in this country, the “Land Cruiser club” grew. I think that makes the original Land Cruiser owners unhappy, because there’s no longer a “Qatari Only” policy for entering this club. Originally when you see a Land Cruiser you immediately know its owners are Qatari; they liked it that way, it defined them. But now, it’s become more common among the mixed ethnicities of upperclassmen. So what the Qatari's started doing to make sure they still stand out, is spend more money on their Cruisers in an obvious way that highlights the difference between them and the new “foreign” Cruiser owners. They tint their windows, or buy a really expensive and short license plate, or “pimp” their cars with paint and colors in a way that really stands out. Their cruisers mean a lot more than just a car; to them, it represents where they stand in this Qatari society, and what kind of treatment they get because of this high social standing.

You and Your Coffee

I hate Coffee. I do not understand why people like it or use it to wake up. It tastes so bad. Perhaps the bitter taste keeps students from drifting off to dream land. All I know is, apparently, you are as cool as the coffee cup you are holding.

In Education City, an awesome and wonderful place full of weird social habits, I noticed an interesting pattern when it comes to students. Every morning, they spend riyals and riyals on different beverages to sooth their dropping eyelids. We do not have a lot of coffee shops and cafeterias, or a lot of food options for that matter, but even so, we managed to make distinctions based on our social class.

Most Qatari people, for example, get their coffee from Starbucks. Although this sounds very general, it is true. Starbucks is fairly expensive, especially in this region, so people from the elite class will tend to buy things from there, even though there is nothing special about it. I mean other than the fact that the cafeteria’s coffee sucks so bad, there might be another reason as to why people buy water from this place even though it is located in a faraway building.

It could be as simple as this. “I am rich and I want other people to know that.” Or, “I am rich and I must buy from this place because that is what other rich people do and I do not want to stand out.” Whatever the answer may be, it is clear that in Qatar, we practice the concept of conspicuous consumption.

Like everywhere else on this planet, everyone in Qatar belongs to a class system. A class system exists when people are ranked according to characteristics such a as income. The richer you are, the higher the rank you are in. Those who have the same rank belong into the same social class. A social class is a group of people who share a similar position in society based on wealth, education, and occupational prestige. For example, rich people with well-paying jobs and a good education belong to the same social class, the loaded class.

In any event, people like to show off their rank in society and do so by buying things that say that about them. Conspicuous consumption is an attempt to display class and status through the purchase or consumption of high culture and luxury goods or services. Starbucks is expensive. We are expensive. Therefore, we must buy Starbucks. 

Now that we think we understand what's going on with the Starbucks people, let's see what kind of coffee do others buy. The second group of people, the “regular people,” tend to buy from the more reasonably priced, Gloria Jeans. They are rational, with a hint of self-love. “I’m gonna spend some money on a Latte because it is delicious. Also, people still think I’m classy.”

Then there are the smart students, those are the ones who think a cup of coffee is neither worth the distance, nor the price for social distinction. They usually buy the ready-made coffee that the cafeteria provides, downstairs, near their classes.

Although this is might sound really general, but when you go to Starbucks most of what you see is black and white (if you know what I mean) and when you go to the other places, most of what you see is expats. There is always a connection between class and race/ethnicity. It is difficult to separate the two even when we try to not be racist and stereotypical about it. It’s just what it is and it happens for so many reasons that are beyond what we can comprehend. All I know is, it’s interesting.   

This morning, I went to three different coffee shops to document the coffee drinking patterns of the EC community. 

Even though this exists everywhere, it is important to note how ridiculous it is if we actually think in that manner before we buy things. We should not try to confine ourselves in those “norms” we are creating because they will eventually suffocate us and limit us. One day we are going wake up and realize it is not about the people. It is about the coffee.

Friends With Money

Friends With Money, a film written and directed by Nicole Holofcener in 2006. Friends with money represents different lifestyles, relationships and the problems a couple can face. The film features four female friends from different social classes.



Social class was expressed by wealth, education and occupations. The first scene in the movie was a scene of Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) cleaning houses. We saw Christine (Catherine Keener) in her office writing , which gave us an idea of her job as a television writer. Jane (Frances McDormand) the third character works as fashion designer. Franny (Joan Cusack) a housewife who does charity work. In all three occupations, social class was clearly displayed, where Olivia from the lower class, Christine and Jane from the middle class and Franny from the upper class. Wealth was the result of a good job. At some point in the movie they were delivering the idea of the more wealthy you are the less problems you have, and we saw that when Christine and Jane were talking about Franny and Matt (Franny’s husband)’s relationship and how they have a problem-free life.



Conspicuous consumption also took a place in this movie, we saw Franny’s husband buying their daughter a 95-dollar shoes, Jane’s husband buying her a fancy handbag for her birthday and Olivia’s addiction with Lancôme products.



Conspicuous leisure was shown in different ways through the restaurants they go to, buying tables in fundraisers events, women wearing designers’ dresses and jewelries and men wearning elegant suites and ties.

Class in Lebanese

Lebanon is one country I consider myself quite familiar with; I’ve been visiting Lebanon every summer since I was a kid. But, this year was the first time I actually visited Lebanon by myself, for the sole purpose of discovering it on my own, not just to visit family. I grew up in a culture that is very politically involved and knew quite a lot about the political situations in the Arab world, which means that I was quite aware of the different political and religious sects in Lebanon. But of course, it’s very different when you realized all these things for yourself.



Lebanon has been under a very shaky government for a while now, and has been through many, many different wars, all related to the different sects within the country. Even though there are numerous political parties in Lebanon, most of the parties play very small roles in the government itself. However, whether you were a Sunni Muslim, Shiaa Muslim, Christian, Palestinian or Syrian, all these parties play a big role in your involvement and interactions within the country.

Being a Palestinian refugee from Lebanon, I always realized how racist many Lebanese are against Palestinians. Like I mentioned in one of my previous post, "Will they ever belong?", Palestinians cannot work outside refugee camps and suffer from many unequal treatments in Lebanon.

Well, in this trip to Lebanon I realized that this society wasn’t only considered racist to Palestinians, but any person of color, African, Indian or Nepalese, was automatically listed under the lower working class minority. This makes them one of the minority groups in Lebanon, being singled out for unequal treatment and collective discrimination.




During my trip, I bumped into a Sudanese friend of mine who brought this subject to my attention. This was her third visit to Lebanon and she stated that most people automatically thought she was a maid or a worker. “I've been to so many countries and never in my life have I ever been subjected to so much ignorance and discrimination,” she said. She also said that everyone, including maids and workers, only spoke to her in English and were so shocked that she could speak Arabic.

I witnessed this myself when I walked into a mobile shop with the same friend. As we tried to enter the store, one guy stood at the door of the shop and gave my friend very cruel stares as if she wasn’t supposed to enter the store. It took him some time to finally move out of our way and let us in. When she asked the guy in the shop for a sim card, he didn’t seem to understand what she was saying, even though she spoke very clearly. However, when I asked, he seemed to understand exactly what I wanted and helped us right away.

This isn’t a topic that people really speak of, however many organizations and groups have been trying to make people more aware of this. IndyACT launched the “Anti Racism Movement” in Lebanon in 2010. They started this movement in 2010 and one of their reasons was that many people were being discriminated against and “prevented from entering [shops] because of skin color or prejudice and definitely because of the weakness and/or indifference of civil society actors in dealing with these phenomena and the absence of a criminalizing and binding law that affects these racist practices in Lebanon.”



In nearly every country in the world, there is always a connection between race/ethnicity and class. People in Lebanon are definitely stratified according to achieved characteristics, like their incomes. Class plays a huge role in a person’s social stratification and socialization into the society. In Lebanon, a person of lower class could be discriminated against and treated unfairly. If I was to talk about the Asian and black workers in Lebanon, I would say that they are stratified into both caste and class systems, where their race and their achieved characteristics definitely play a part in their lifestyle. Since the society in Lebanon has its ways of categorizing by race, and because of an Asian or black worker’s expected income and obvious race and ethnicity, it is pretty hard for one of those workers to move up the class system and be assimilated into the Lebanese culture.