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Dr Zarqa Parvez

Dr. Zarqa A. Parvez is an adjunct Assistant Professor at Georgetown University in Qatar and adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University in Qatar. She has a masters degree from SOAS London, and her PhD from Durham University focused on Women and National Identity in Qatar. Her research focus includes Nationalism, National Identity, Women, State and Society in the Gulf Region.

 

Items by Dr Zarqa Parvez

  • The politics of sport, human rights and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

    Contemporary sport is a key component of modern nation state-building and a cornerstone of international diplomacy and image building; it is not limited to the sport in question and its effects. As a social activity, sport is a key tool to foster a sense of collective national identity through...

  • Qatar’s soft power, shifting alliances and strategic interests

    On 31 January, 2022, during Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad’s visit to Washington, Joe Biden officially announced the designation of Qatar as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA). It goes without saying that the decision is a highly strategic one, rooted deeply in US foreign policy interests in the...

  • The politicisation of civilisations and ideologies: Macron, Charlie Hebdo and blasphemy in France 

    The reproduction of Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recently was no surprise. What was frustrating though was French President Emmanuel Macron’s open endorsement of them and his claim that “Islam is in crisis”. He has made orientalist, neo-colonial statements such as, “I want to...

  • The contextualization of racism and discrimination in the Gulf

    The latest Black Lives Matter protests triggered by the killing of George Floyd on 25 May by a Minneapolis police officer highlight the fact that we live in a time of multiple crises. Floyd’s killing was a wake-up call for humanity to put an end to racism, and has...

  • Um Haroon and the politics of normalisation in the Gulf

    MBC’s Ramadan drama series Um Haroon has sparked controversy and debate about the presence of Jews in the Gulf region and their relationship with local Muslim communities. In itself, it is the beginning of normalisation of regional relations with Israel; the first stage of a new regional order. The...

  • Nationalism and National Identity in Gulf States

    Nationalism and national identity are two key concepts in the shaping of the contemporary world since the 19th century. Nationalism aims to create group loyalty, through a single national identity based on various aspects particular to a certain nation or homeland, including culture, religion, politics and a common shared...

  • Qatar and the blockade have a new narrative with the Gulf Cup 

    The news that the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are to participate in the Gulf Cup football tournament was a surprise to most people. Ever since the blockade was imposed on Qatar in 2017, the blockading countries have refused to enter any negotiations. The region has witnessed a cold...

  • Israa Ghrayeb: murdered for ‘honour’

    Dedicated to Israa Ghrayeb and all women who have been murdered in the name of “honour”. The recent heart-wrenching news of the murder of Israa Ghrayeb in Palestine sparked interest and debate on the concept of honour crimes in the Middle East. Every day, many women like Israa are...

  • Are changes to Saudi Arabia’s guardianship laws really about women?

    Saudi women are amongst the strongest, most intelligent and inspirational women in the Middle East. Female Saudi academics and activists have lobbied for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia for decades, but unfortunately have faced slow progress and a strong backlash from society and government. The recent changes in Saudi...

  • The power of storytelling and narrative-building for Middle Eastern women

    Lila Abu-Lughod describes the work of contemporary scholars on women and gender studies in the Middle East as that of “storytelling”. She explains that these scholars are narrating stories about women and their lives in relation to power structures grounded in historical specificities within local contexts, cultural settings and...

  • The ‘othering’ of humanity, a divided world and the global rise in terrorism

    Among the most pressing issues of the 21st century, “othering” and “belonging” have become common themes. These are part of the broader issues of nations and nationalism, and homogeneous identities which strive to create an “us” against “them” mentality. They require a sense of “separateness” through which our “belonging”...

  • Qatar’s victory in the Asian Cup illustrates the strength of soft power

    The Asian Cup 2019 occupied centre stage in the Gulf over the past few weeks. The football matches between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and Qatar and the UAE in particular generated strong emotions and heated reactions in the countries involved. They were the first time since the start of...

  • Is ‘feminism’ really helping women’s rights in the Middle East?

    “Feminism” was perhaps one of the most commonly used terms in 2018. In the past two years, global awareness on women’s issues has grown as a result of the #MeToo movement, and more recently #HearMeToo, the UN campaign to end gender violence globally. Until recently, I resolutely and almost...