Public Policy and Identity

Abstract

The question of national identity is raised when there is a need for redefinition, and now that Qatar is embracing a new era, the need becomes imperative. The current citizenship model was comparatively effective during the nation-building stage in creating legitimate national “communities” within the bigger, more established regional and national identities. However, a new historical era calls for a new form of citizenship that is inclusive and sustainable. Ultimately, investing in human capital is the way in which Qatar’s economy can be transformed into a knowledge-based one. The generosity of the state towards citizens and non-citizens is unquestionable; however, to ensure returns on investments, Qatar needs to retain a proportion of its graduates and workers across the different sectors according to a systematic, institutionalized citizenship law. The building of a strong citizenry with a unified national identity is to promote inclusiveness and pluralism, to eradicate discrimination within the existing citizenship model, and to embrace previously marginalized identities. A national identity should trump all other forms of sub-identity, especially tribal identity. All citizens should have a claim over their country, regardless of ethnicity, gender, or sectarian background. At the same time, it should be emphasized that a national identity is as fluid as the identities of its people, and that “[i]dentity isn’t given once and for all: it is built up and changes throughout a person’s lifetime” (Maaolouf, On Identity. London: Harvill, 2000: 20).