Inside Qatar: Hidden Stories from One of the Richest Nations on Earth
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- Create Date：2022-09-25 09:51:41
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：John McManus
- ISBN：1785788213
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Summary
An intimate portrait of life in one of the world's richest nations ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup。
Just 75 years ago， the Gulf nation of Qatar was a backwater， reliant on pearl diving。 Today it is a gas-laden parvenu with seemingly limitless wealth and ambition。 Skyscrapers， museums and futuristic football stadiums rise out of the desert and Ferraris race through the streets。 But in the shadows， migrant workers toil in the heat for risible amounts。
Inside Qatar reveals how real people live in this surreal place， a land of both great opportunity and great iniquity。 Ahead of Qatar's time in the limelight as host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup， anthropologist John McManus lifts a lid on the hidden worlds of its gilded elite， its spin doctors and thrill seekers， its manual labourers and domestic workers。
The sum of their tales is not some exotic cabinet of curiosities。 Instead， Inside Qatar opens a window onto the global problems - of unfettered capitalism， migration， growing inequality and climate change - that concern us all。
Just 75 years ago， the Gulf nation of Qatar was a backwater， reliant on pearl diving。 Today it is a gas-laden parvenu with seemingly limitless wealth and ambition。 Skyscrapers， museums and futuristic football stadiums rise out of the desert and Ferraris race through the streets。 But in the shadows， migrant workers toil in the heat for risible amounts。
Inside Qatar reveals how real people live in this surreal place， a land of both great opportunity and great iniquity。 Ahead of Qatar's time in the limelight as host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup， anthropologist John McManus lifts a lid on the hidden worlds of its gilded elite， its spin doctors and thrill seekers， its manual labourers and domestic workers。
The sum of their tales is not some exotic cabinet of curiosities。 Instead， Inside Qatar opens a window onto the global problems - of unfettered capitalism， migration， growing inequality and climate change - that concern us all。
Reviews
James R。
，
Like most people， I'd read the news stories about the appalling working conditions and deaths of migrant workers in Qatar as part of their efforts to prepare for the upcoming World Cup so I was interested to read this book and learn more。 As it happens， the books is far deeper and broader look at life in Qatar and it's better for that。 John McManus spends time in the city state and gets to know the lives of the people that live and work there。 The day-to-day reality of life in Qatar is frequentl Like most people， I'd read the news stories about the appalling working conditions and deaths of migrant workers in Qatar as part of their efforts to prepare for the upcoming World Cup so I was interested to read this book and learn more。 As it happens， the books is far deeper and broader look at life in Qatar and it's better for that。 John McManus spends time in the city state and gets to know the lives of the people that live and work there。 The day-to-day reality of life in Qatar is frequently grim， particularly for the migrants from poorer countries that facilitate the opulent lifestyles of the wealthy Qataris and Westerners。 While McManus is even handed in documenting the （limp） attempts by the regime to improve labour standards， but the indignities and horrendous conditions many workers have to face do not put Qatar in a good light。 It's hard to say you've enjoyed reading such a book as it lifts the lid on such an unpleasant place。 But it is intriguing to learn about a culture where suffering of the many for the indulgence of a few is baked into the fabric of society。 McManus admitted himself that he struggled to get close to Qatari nationals in the researching and writing of this book and for that reason their voice is missing from the narrative。 This is a shame as it feels like a missing piece of the puzzle in understanding what life is like in Qatar。 Otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed this book。 。。。more
K。
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Trigger warnings: racism， classism， xenophobia，， unsafe work practices leading to death3。5 stars。I borrowed this the second it hit my library's Overdrive site because I'm doing a Read Around the World challenge and I've been struggling to find something for Qatar。 And then this popped up。 It was an interesting read， but I definitely didn't anticipate it being a） as sports-centric as it was and b） as lacking in female voices as it was。 I suppose the latter makes sense in a Muslim country with str Trigger warnings: racism， classism， xenophobia，， unsafe work practices leading to death3。5 stars。I borrowed this the second it hit my library's Overdrive site because I'm doing a Read Around the World challenge and I've been struggling to find something for Qatar。 And then this popped up。 It was an interesting read， but I definitely didn't anticipate it being a） as sports-centric as it was and b） as lacking in female voices as it was。 I suppose the latter makes sense in a Muslim country with strict rules and regulations for its female population， but I still found myself wishing there was more discussion of what life is like for women， given the nature of Qatar。 Anyway， I wouldn't have picked this up if it weren't for my Read Around the World challenge， and at least now when I have a terrible day at work， I can be quietly grateful for the fact that I don't have to let peregrine falcons wank on my head for a living （because thanks to this book I now know that "artificial falcon inseminator" an actual job in Qatar and it involves people essentially impersonating a female falcon and going through a courtship dance and then the male falcon copulating with a latex hat on the handler's head。 Y。I。K。E。S。） 。。。more
Babis Kokovidis
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It is a really interesting and informative book about every aspect of life in Qatar。 The academic background of the author helps him to write a full inside into the country he is living。 I expected him being too gentle about Qatar and not so critical about it but on the contrary he writes what he saw and witnessed with a "falcon's eye" like the ones the Qataris love to train。 I recommend it to anyone who wants to know a bit more about a country which we know almost nothing。 It is a really interesting and informative book about every aspect of life in Qatar。 The academic background of the author helps him to write a full inside into the country he is living。 I expected him being too gentle about Qatar and not so critical about it but on the contrary he writes what he saw and witnessed with a "falcon's eye" like the ones the Qataris love to train。 I recommend it to anyone who wants to know a bit more about a country which we know almost nothing。 。。。more
Andy Walker
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I bought this book because I wanted to find out a bit more about Qatar， as it will be hosting this year’s football World Cup in November and December。 I never thought that the city state should ever have been awarded one of the world’s greatest sporting festivals and having read this book， I’m even more convinced that handing the competition to Qatar is a grave error that won’t in any way ‘open up’ the country， rather it will be used by its rulers to do what they have always done but with a vene I bought this book because I wanted to find out a bit more about Qatar， as it will be hosting this year’s football World Cup in November and December。 I never thought that the city state should ever have been awarded one of the world’s greatest sporting festivals and having read this book， I’m even more convinced that handing the competition to Qatar is a grave error that won’t in any way ‘open up’ the country， rather it will be used by its rulers to do what they have always done but with a veneer of respectability。 Author John McManus uncovers a nation， almost like no other。 A place that is almost totally dependent on exploited migrant labour， who have little or no rights， but whose stories are described sympathetically and with dignity by the author。 It’s a fair-minded account of Qatar， which is certainly no hatchet job， but one which leaves you with the distinct impression that this is not a place that anyone really enjoys living or working in。 Quite why it will host football’s biggest pageant is anyone’s guess， but given FIFA’s love of lucre， maybe most people will guess right。 Inside Qatar is an essential read and a very readable one too。 。。。more
Tracy
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