Podcasts
Rationale
Each of the episodes in the CIRS podcast series chronicles an individual’s unique experiences, and is also representative of a much larger story—the story of millions of temporary labor migrants living and working all around the world.
Oral histories offer important and distinctive contributions to the historical records and present a valuable source of data that allows us to understand the lives, experiences, motivations, and memories of people—particularly people who are silenced, overlooked, marginalized, or dismissed by traditional sources. The form of oral histories envisioned by this project include the traditional mode of dialogue between researcher and narrator, as well as offering forms of testimony about their experiences. Testimonies, particularly when they speak to the experiences of a group, can offer critical counternarratives that allow marginalized people to be engaged as active participants in the telling of their own stories. This method remains vitally important in contexts defined by inequality and asymmetries of power to offer historians, and other scholars, sources that allow them to read against the grain of the structures of social power.
Data Collection
We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with approximately 20 migrant laborers in Doha. Questions focus on the interviewees’ insights and experiences living and working in Doha. The duration of each semi-structured interview is approximately 60 minutes. Depending on the fluency and preference of the participants, interviews are conducted in English, Arabic, or “Hindustani,” a common language adopted by most migrant workers from South Asia in Qatar.
The participants are migrant laborers of various nationalities working in Qatar in the service industry, construction industry, and domestic work industry. They are above the age of 18 and include men and women. Purposeful sampling, snowball sampling, chain sampling, and network sampling strategies were adopted in identifying participants.
The subjects were recruited for the interviews based on oral communications, telephone calls, via written emails and text/WhatsApp messages, as the study used purposive and snowball sampling for the project. The PIs and additional researchers also shared the Informed Consent Script (attached) in these communications so that interviewees could read it before the initial interview meeting. The consent was re-read again at the start of each interview. Participants were given the option of leaving the study at any point during the process up until the podcasts were published online.
English Podcasts
Episode 1 | Mark, a Kenyan Caterer in Qatar
In this episode, Mark shares his career experience working in food catering in Qatar since 2021.
Episode 2 | Julietta, an Azerbaijani Hotel Hostess in Qatar
In this episode, Julietta talks us through her journey of traveling to Qatar from Azerbaijan in September 2022, ahead of the World Cup tournament, to work as a hostess at a five-star hotel.
Episode 3 | Dante, a Ugandan Food Delivery Driver in Qatar
In this episode, Dante shares his migration story and his experiences of being a food delivery driver in Qatar since 2021.
Episode 4 | Kwame, a Ghanaian Security Supervisor in Qatar
In this episode, Kwame tells his story and shares his experiences of working in the security sector in Qatar over the past eight years.
Episode 5 | Hamza, a Ugandan Event Planner in Qatar
In this episode, Hamza shares his four-year experience of being a migrant worker in Qatar, and how he navigated the country’s strict labor laws.
Episode 6 | Edwin, a Ugandan Food Delivery Driver in Qatar
In this episode, Edwin shares his experience as a food delivery driver in Qatar. He arrived in 2021, and faced a variety of challenges.
Episode 7 | a Bangladeshi Driver in Qatar
In this episode, a Bangladeshi driver shares his experiences of working in Qatar since 2018, first as an employee of a family and then as an employee of a limousine company.
Episode 8 | Dan, a Ukrainian Hospitality Manager in Qatar
In this episode, Dan shares his experiences of working in the hospitality sector in Qatar.
Episode 9 | Nizan, the Son of an Indian Migrant Worker to the Gulf
In this episode, Nizan shares his experiences as being the son of a migrant worker, calling himself “a victim of migration”.
Urdu/Hindi Podcasts
Episode 10 | Priyanka, a Nepali Beautician in Qatar
In this episode, Priyanka details her migration journey from Nepal to Dubai and then to Qatar. She discusses the hurdles she encountered and highlights her dedication to providing a better life for her children, despite the challenges.
Episode 11 | Dhan Bahadur, a Nepali Driver in Qatar
In this episode, Dhan Bahadur shares a personal perspective of how his migration journey to Qatar had profound effects on his family life and his relationship with his children.
Episode 12 | Eid Muhammed, a Pakistani Long-Term Resident of Qatar
In this episode, Eid Muhammed recounts how he migrated to Qatar with his family when he was just eight years old. His story offers a unique glimpse into the life of a long-term resident, whose family has called Qatar home over multiple generations.
Episode 13 | Khalil, a Retired Pakistani Site Supervisor in Qatar
In this episode, Khalil shares his extensive experience of living in Qatar over the past 40 years. He further elaborates on the significant contributions of the Baloch community to Qatar.
Episode 14 | Murid, a Retired Pakistani Quran Teacher in Qatar
In this episode, Murid recounts his experiences in Qatar, where he has resided since 1988. He reflects on the many significant developments the country has undergone over the past few decades.
Episode 15 | Reema, a Nepali Hotel Waitress in Qatar
In this episode, Reema shares her experiences of coming to Qatar on an “Azad” visa. She discusses her struggles in finding reliable employment in Qatar to support her son’s education.
Episode 16 | Ghazanfer Ali, a Pakistani Taxi Driver in Qatar
In this episode, Ghazanfer Ali recounts his diverse migration experiences in Europe, the UAE, and Qatar, and discusses the unique challenges and opportunities he encountered in each place.
