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DTSTART:20210101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220308T173000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220308T203000
DTSTAMP:20260415T033924
CREATED:20211110T080209Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221129T110042Z
UID:10001449-1646760600-1646771400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu
SUMMARY:Adanggaman 
DESCRIPTION:Film Synopsis:In West Africa during the late 17th century\, King Adanggaman leads a war against his neighboring tribes\, ordering his soldiers to torch enemy villages\, kill the elderly and capture the healthy tribesmen to sell to the European slave traders. When his village falls prey to one of Adanggaman’s attacks\, Ossei manages to escape\, but his family is murdered except for his captured mother. Chasing after the soldiers in an effort to free her\, Ossei is befriended by a fierce warrior named Naka. \n\nContent Warning: violence\, brutality\, racial slur\, sensitive subject\, PG 18+ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFree Screening  \n\nLOCATION: Georgetown University Qatar \n\nThe film was screened on March 8 and was followed by a community discussion facilitated by Professor James Hodapp \n\n\nJames Hodapp is an Assistant Professor of English at Northwestern University in Qatar in the Liberal Arts Program where his primary focus is African and postcolonial literature and visual cultures.  His work on literature\, cinema\, comic arts\, television\, and podcasts from Africa have appeared in Journal of Commonwealth Literature\, The Journal of Postcolonial Writing\, African Literature Today\,  ARIEL\, Research in African Literatures\, and English in Africa\, among others. He is also the editor of the collections Afropolitan Literature as World Literature and Graphic Novels and Comics as World Literature from Bloomsbury academic publishing.  
URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/adanggaman/
LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar
CATEGORIES:Race & Society
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220309T090000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220310T170000
DTSTAMP:20260415T033924
CREATED:20220328T110824Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T132007Z
UID:10001463-1646816400-1646931600@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu
SUMMARY:Qatar’s World Cup Goals: Moving from the Periphery to the Center Working Group I
DESCRIPTION:On March 9-10\, 2022\, CIRS convened the first Working Group under its newly launched research initiative on Qatar’s World Cup Goals: Moving from the Periphery to the Center. The meeting was held as a hybrid event\, allowing for both virtual and in-person participation. The goal of the working group was to bring together scholars from different disciplines to examine the role of the upcoming FIFA World Cup in enabling the state of Qatar to move from the periphery of global sports and politics to the center. Applying both empirical and theoretical lenses\, the invited scholars addressed a number of topics including Qatar’s national security\, the impact of the pandemic on mega-sporting events\, national identity\, tourism\, and sports sponsorships. \n\nThe meeting began with Gerd Nonneman’s discussion on the links between Qatar’s national security and the World Cup. He noted that the Cup was one component of a wider and longer-term security and developmental strategy since the 1990s of raising Qatar’s global visibility\, acquiring economic resources\, moving to sustainability\, and building supportive global networks. Given its small size\, limited hard power resources\, and powerful neighbors\, security has been a key driver of Qatari policies at home and abroad. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) development brought both resources and global economic networks. To the continuing aim of building equally global diplomatic networks was then added the ambition to build a sustainable economy beyond hydrocarbon dependence. Staging the World Cup aimed to serve these goals\, by raising global awareness of the “Brand Qatar” and helping to lay the foundations for a more diversified economy. It also helped accelerate not only the building of the infrastructural underpinnings for future development\, but equally necessary reforms of migration and labor policies – attempting to match the needs of a viable future economy and global branding with the exploration of an evolving national identity. \n\nThe second session of the working group focused on the World Cup 2022 and the pandemic. Kamilla Swart suggested that Covid-19 was almost entirely unique in how it upended the sporting world. While we are currently witnessing the return of competitive sports at various levels\, the pandemic still remains a threat. In preparation for hosting the World Cup in winter 2022\, Qatar has effectively hosted ‘test events’\, such as the FIFA Arab Cup\, and implemented restrictions and social distancing during the games.  Swart stated that the compact nature of the World Cup will be a challenge\, especially in regards to implementing Covid protocols and managing the influx of the expected visitors. She highlighted that some of the key areas that require research are the nature of Covid protocols\, fan management\, vaccination administration and statuses\, non-communicable disease\, injuries prevention\, and the burden on health care and medical facilities during the games. Swart suggested that new risks and disaster management during the World Cup is a key area requiring new research. \n\nContinuing the discussion on health-related issues\, Andreas Flouris addressed the question of whether serving as hosts to the World Cup leads to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Flouris pointed out that\, based on existing health data on Qatar\, 70% of deaths in the country occur due to chronic diseases\, most of which are tied to obesity and low levels of physical activity. Qatar has adopted policies and undertaken new interventions such as tobacco-free policy\, building of recreational spaces for physical activity\, and the Tamreen education programs in schools that are all geared towards promoting healthy lifestyle. The Ministry of Health in Qatar is engaged in a 3-year collaboration with the World Health Organization for health promotion. Health and nutrition programs have also been developed in the country. However\, the core question of whether the 2022 FIFA World Cup has enabled an overall healthier lifestyle in Qatar still needs to be addressed. Are there efforts underway to encourage the aging citizen population to adopt healthier habits? At a global level\, there is little evidence on whether mega sporting events such as the World Cup actually have a positive health impact on host countries. Flouris suggested that there is a need to collect baseline and longitudinal data and compare Qatar with other countries that have hosted the World Cup. Additionally\, Flouris discussed the lack of school physical education curriculum and the impact of a harsh environment and desert climate as being critical issues affecting patterns of physical activity. \n\nAndreas Krieg examined how Qatar’s engagements in Afghanistan as well the hosting of the World Cup 2022 have both been means by which the state has exhibited its soft power. Post Arab Uprisings Qatar has been translating its financial power into regional and global influence\, and the World Cup and Afghanistan have served as sites where Qatar has been able to display its power of appeal and attraction.  Krieg stated that diplomacy\, investment\, energy and LNG demand\, education and developmental policies\, and sports are the main tools through which Qatar is trying to achieve its policy goals. Whereas military action is the least influential lever of its soft power. The World Cup has put Qatar and the MENA region on the global map and the Afghanistan moment has helped Qatar build networks and increase regional influence in Asia. Bridging the gap between the western world and Islamic countries and the exploration of Qatar’s potential as a mediator were identified by Krieg as key areas of further research. \n\nDanyel Reiche focused his remarks on the topic of Qatar Airways and its sports sponsorships\, with Germany’s leading football club Bayern Munich serving as a case study.  Reiche stated that Qatar Airways\, which has been operational for 25 years\, has been leveraged by the state to achieve various state objectives including enhancing its visibility in the global realm. Qatar Airways has a history of sports sponsorships which was amplified post the financial crisis of 2008.  The airline was the shirt sponsor for Barcelona from 2013-2017 and is currently Bayern Munich’s sleeve sponsor in an agreement that started in 2018 and goes until 2023. Reiche explained that while these sponsorships give the state of Qatar a lot of exposure\, they also show the limitations of soft power approaches. These sponsorships have met with a lot of resistance on the ground in the European states where these teams are based. Reiche suggested there was a need to explore why there is such a persistent critique of this particular sponsor and not of others from non-democratic countries. \n\nRoss Griffin examined Qatar’s national identity in relation to the Qatari-owned French football club Paris St. Germain (PSG). Griffin suggested that Qatar has used sports to shape its national identity while simultaneously positively projecting its identity to the rest of the world. The acquisition of PSG has been part of state efforts to promote a global image of Qatar as a progressive state.  Much of the attention that Qatar has garnered from the global sporting world since being awarded the bid to host the 2022 World Cup Qatar has been negative. PSG has partially served to dissipate some of that negative attention. Griffin outlined that some key questions to explore would be to look at how the ownership of PSG defines Qatar’s national identity. How do PSG fans react to this ownerships and how progressive national identity is being achieved with the hiring of elite and famous football players? \n\nSebastian Sons led the discussion on the nexus of Qatar’s development assistance and sport. He detailed Qatar’s humanitarian aid portfolio in recent years and stated that Qatar’s development assistance has been closely related to domestics polices\, economic diversification\, geo-strategic interests and its ideological affiliations. In recent years\, there was a fundamental shift in the nature of the aid provided. It shifted from Islamic forms of aid to development assistance\, with the focus on financing youth and female developmental projects. Sons specified that the main point of query is to question how do sports come into this story of Qatar’s developmental aid. He narrated that Qatar has been financing sports developmental projects in partner countries and on a domestic level\, but it remains unclear what are Qatar’s interests in becoming a hub of exchange and human development in the fields of sports and development. Examining what role sports play in regional integration and cooperation\, in identity construction and migration through different development projects\, were some key areas identified. \n\nKristian Coates Ulrichsen explored Qatar’s New Development Model and argued that over the years Qatar has built a branding model that is based on diplomacy. Qatari policy making\, which is influenced by the Qatar Vision 2030 has aimed to build a unique developmental model. Various construction\, infrastructure development projects\, and domestic policy changes have propelled the country towards a progressive state. During the blockade of 2017 regional associations and collaborations were affected which now have been revived. Ulrichsen argued that there is a need to examine what tangible legacy this model will have and what measures could be undertaken in regard to migrant labor issues that the country has been facing since winning the bid for hosting the World Cup.  \n\nIrene Theodoropoulou led the discussion on Sports Tourism in Qatar and FIFA 2022 for the next session. She argued that Qatar will be using tourism to rectify its global image and diversify its economy. Qatar Tourism has combined the traditional with modernity to develop a new tourism strategy that aims to put Qatar on the global map in terms of culture\, sports\, business\, and family entertainment tourism. A new airport and visa free arrival policy has been developed to diversify tourism in the country. Theodoropoulou highlighted that further study needs to be conducted in the areas of intercultural communications in Qatar\, demographics of tourists expected during the World Cup\, improving relations and developing synergies between Qatar Tourism and Qatar Airways\, and developing better media relations.  \n\nThe discussion then shifted to beIN sports and its global influence. Craig LaMay addressed beIN’s dominance over football broadcasting in the MENA region as well as coverage of other sports in the U.S. and UK. He stated that since beIN was a private entity\, publicly available records of its operations do not exist. beIN’s regional and global operations have been severely affected during the pandemic\, and the company will need to innovate in order to be competitive and to retain its broadcasting rights. Its model of pay-TV is being challenged by streaming services and even free-to-air alternatives. beIN’s traditional bundled service not only faces competition from new models and a variety of cheaper services but also has to deal with issues such as piracy and non-live content provision for its customers across the globe. \n\nUday Chandra and Aisha Al-Kuwari initiated the conversation on Qatar 2022 and Popular Culture. Chandra argued that there is a need to understand the nature of fandom in Qatar and how the preparations for the World Cup have remade popular culture. Aisha explained that fan culture in Qatar is associated with a fireej or neighborhood\, and fans had loyalties to the local clubs established by community elders in these neighborhoods. She added that fandom was also associated with the culture of majlises\, in which people gather to watch games and root for teams. Women’s increasing participation in football fandom in Doha\, including in stadiums in the recent Arab Cup\, and the limitations of gender stereotypes in journalistic accounts also came through in Aisha’s remarks. With respect to non-citizens\, Chandra spoke of their absence from discussions of fandom and popular culture in Qatar and highlighted recent scholarship that shows strong loyalties to host societies in the Gulf. Although migrant workers recurrently appear as mute victims in Western European commentary on the World Cup\, labor activism by these workers remains understudied.  \n\nThe next session looked at Aspire Zone and its rise to become a Global Benchmark for Talent Development and Sports Medicine. Paul Brannagan explained that small states tend to find niche industries that are culturally different and sets them apart from their neighbors. For Qatar\, sports is the niche industry through which it is making a mark on the global stage. Aspire Zone and Sports Academy are part of Qatar’s sporting strategy and aids the State in building its sports portfolio. Brannagan identified that there is the need to examine how and where Aspire fits in Qatar’s sporting investments and global political agenda. He also highlighted that through Aspire\, Qatar is producing a stream of athletes and is showing its ability of overcoming the disadvantage of its population size. The legacy of Aspire post-2022\, the role of Aspire in sports humanitarianism\, and global sports medicine were some other key research areas identified.  \n\nJohan Granberg discussed community building and the Education City Stadium. He stated that identity doesn’t make people stay and that people required environments that they could co-exist with. Building a stadium in a city is a good project for the city and helps build its image but there are very little examples of these buildings being good for the community. The stadium in Education City might be a good example of a good stadium but lacks the communal aspect and engagement required by society. He stressed that often stadiums become beautiful object that has very little use for the community after the games. Granberg expressed that the questions of how the Education City community can use the arena and what can be gained from it requires further exploration and research. \n\nTh last session of the meeting looked at Sport Security and the Role of the International Center for Sports Security (ICSS). Magda De Lange expanded on ICSS’s role in addressing safety and security in global sporting events. She stated that while work has been done to address issues of safety and security in traditional sports\, research on esports remain limited. An athlete-centered esports ecosystem is developing as a new trend. Of critical concern is that there are sparse\, decentralized resources for collegiate esports players and limited regulation or fact-checking for practices. Gaps in the existing scholarship which could benefit from academic exploration and new research are: research on how to provide consistent guidelines to support young esports players; dual careers of esports athletes; the use and promotion of esports as an added value for P/CVE interventions to increase societal resilience and empowerment. Esports research’s key barriers and key considerations include understanding the ecosystem of esports\, sampling by device\, then by game genre\, examining the positive impacts of esports\, and emphasizing equity in players. \n\nIn conclusion\, Dean Clyde Wilcox\, Director of CIRS\, thanked the participants for identifying key gaps in the literature. It is worth noting that invited participants will contribute empirically grounded papers addressing questions and gaps identified during the meeting\, among others\, to be published in an edited volume under the auspices of CIRS. The second working group for the project will be held in Fall 2022. \n\nIn conclusion\, Dean Clyde Wilcox\, Director of CIRS\, thanked the participants for identifying key gaps in the literature. It is worth noting that invited participants will contribute empirically grounded papers addressing questions and gaps identified during the meeting\, among others\, to be published in an edited volume under the auspices of CIRS. The second working group for the project will be held in Fall 2022. \n\nTo view the working group agenda\, click hereTo read the participants’ biographies\, click hereRead more about this research initiative\n\nParticipants and Discussants:  \n\nAisha Al Kuwari\, Georgetown University in QatarHend Al-Muftah\, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies\, QatarMariam Al-Thani\, Georgetown University in QatarZahra Babar\, CIRS – Georgetown University in QatarKathy Babiak\, University of MichiganMisba Bhatti\, CIRS – Georgetown University in QatarPaul Brannagan\, Manchester Metropolitan University\, UKUday Chandra\, Georgetown University in QatarKristian Coates Ulrichsen\, Rice UniversityMagda de Lange\, International Center for Sport Security (ICSS)\, QatarAndreas Flouris\, University of OttawaJohan Granberg\, Virginia Commonwealth University–QatarRoss Griffin\, Qatar University Andreas Krieg\, King’s College LondonCraig LaMay\, Northwestern University in QatarSuzi Mirgani\, CIRS – Georgetown University in QatarGerd Nonneman\, Georgetown University in QatarDanyel Reiche\, Georgetown University in QatarSebastian Sons\, Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO)Kamilla Swart\, Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU)Irene Theodoropoulou\, Qatar UniversityElizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS – Georgetown University QatarClyde Wilcox\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\nArticle by Misba Bhatti\, Research Analyst at CIRS
URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/qatars-world-cup-goals-moving-from-the-periphery-to-the-center-working-group-i/
LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar
CATEGORIES:Regional Studies
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/03/Untitled-design-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220320T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220320T193000
DTSTAMP:20260415T033924
CREATED:20220315T122259Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220329T061254Z
UID:10001462-1647799200-1647804600@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu
SUMMARY:How Has the World Cup 2022 Changed Qatar?
DESCRIPTION:Ever since Qatar was awarded the hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2022TM in December 2010\, the small state has been criticized for its human rights record in Western media\, particularly by British newspapers. In our panel\, we will discuss the changes that have taken place in Qatar in the last decade and the challenges that remain. We will also focus on migrant workers and women’s rights and how staging the world’s most remarkable sporting event has impacted the diversification of Qatar’s natural gas dependent economy\, and its relations with other countries in the region and worldwide. \n\n\n\n\n\nFeaturing: Danyel Reiche\, Amal Al-Malki\, Gerd Nonneman\, Alexis Antoniades\, Haya Al-Noaimi\, Max Tuñón.
URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/how-has-the-world-cup-2022-changed-qatar/
LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar
CATEGORIES:CIRS Faculty Lectures,FIFA World Cup Series,Panels,Regional Studies
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220322T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220322T203000
DTSTAMP:20260415T033924
CREATED:20211110T080301Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221129T110010Z
UID:10001451-1647972000-1647981000@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu
SUMMARY:Harriet
DESCRIPTION:Film Synopsis:The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes\, whose courage\, ingenuity\, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. \n\nContent Warning: violence & gore\, cruelty\, torture\, profanity\, alcohol consumption\, frightening. Rated R\, PG 18+\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFree Screening  \n\nLOCATION: To be updated closer to the date. \n\nThe film was screened on March 22 and was followed by a community discussion facilitated by Professor Brittany Bounds  \n\n\nBrittany Bounds teaches critical thinking and social skills through U.S. History and American Military History to undergrads at TAMU-Q. She is also the co-chair of the Women’s Faculty Forum\, which supports female faculty\, academic staff\, and students at the university. She also advises the Engineering Entrepreneurship Society who encourage students to combine their engineering and business skills. Dr. Bounds further engages students through STEAM by putting the A into STEM through the annual Showcase of student projects that display creativity through video and poster. Dr. Bounds obtained her Ph.D. in U.S. History with an emphasis in social/cultural and military/diplomatic history at Texas A&M University in College Station. Her research centers on U.S. history and how its roots explain current debates in American society. Her dissertation explored the Silent Majority’s reaction to the social movements of the 60s: the response to civil rights\, campus liberals\, antiwar protesters\, racial riots\, and women’s liberation by examining written modes of communication from a media-silenced American majority. Her publications include topics on the Civil War\, 1960s culture\, and counterterrorism. \n\n\n\n 
URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/harriet/
LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar
CATEGORIES:Race & Society
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220330T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20220330T203000
DTSTAMP:20260415T033924
CREATED:20211118T094032Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260105T095146Z
UID:10001452-1648663200-1648672200@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu
SUMMARY:Mediterranea & Al-Sit
DESCRIPTION:Mediterranea\n\nFilm Synopsis:The film depicts the Africans’ interaction with Italians\, and their lives as migrant workers\, which includes friendships and animosities\, boredom\, and temptation. \n\nContent Warning: violence\, gore\, profanity\, alcohol and drugs consumption\, smoking\, frightening & intense scenes\, sex & nudity\, PG 18+ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAl-Sit\n\nFilm Synopsis:In a cotton-farming village in Sudan\, 15-year-old Nafisa has a crush on Babiker\, but her parents have arranged her marriage to Nadir\, a young Sudanese businessman living abroad. Nafisa’s grandmother Al-Sit\, the powerful village matriarch\, has her own plans for Nafisa’s future. But can Nafisa choose for herself? \n\nContent: Short film\, in Arabic with English subtitles \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe screening followed a community discussion facilitated by Professor Trish Kahle. \n\n\nTrish Kahle is an Assistant Professor of history at Georgetown University Qatar. Her work focuses on history of energy\, work\, and politics in the modern United States and the world. Currently\, she is working on her first book\, which traces the emergence of energy citizenship—a form of national belonging defined by the rights and obligations of energy production\, distribution\, and consumption—from the coal mining workplace in the modern United States. A second project examines the role of utility companies in defining what counts as “energy work” by organizing both individuals and communities into energy producers and energy consumers. Her research has appeared in Labor\, the Journal of Energy History/ Revue d’Histoire de l’Énergie\, and American Quarterly. Support for my work has come from the Mellon Foundation\, the Jefferson Scholars Foundation at the University of Virginia\, the American Society for Environmental History\, the Western Association of Women Historians\, the Labor and Working-Class History Association\, the Center for the History of Business\, Technology\, and Society\, the University of Chicago\, and several research libraries.
URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/mediterranea_alsit/
LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar
CATEGORIES:Race & Society,Sudan
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