Labor Nationalization in the Arab Gulf States: The Role of Women through Civil Society

Wanda Krause, PhDEconomics & Political Science Consultant

Qatar Foundation (QNRF)wwkrause@yahoo.com

Introduction Beyond the State and Economic Sphere Governmentality The Role of Civil Society in Nationalization Overview of Government-Supported

Women’s Organizations and their Activities

Nationalization, State Visions, and the Quest for Stability (Strategy: Policies/Funding, Content, Discourse)

Conclusions

Outline

Rapidly developing states with local women expected to take up places in their governments and positions in business.

Labor nationalization one aspect of national vision. Important to understand the roles of women in civil society

(government-supported orgs.) in the Arab Gulf states for an integral understanding of nationalization strategies and implications.

Such an enquiry is crucial on three fronts. 1. State focus does not help us understand important political

developments or their impact. 2. To be able to understand processes and potentials of

responsibilization and role of civil society. 3. Women have been viewed as tangential to political action and

depicted as passive actors within the Gulf and the Middle East, in general.

This study is accomplished primarily through fieldwork over four years of research in the UAE and further study from Qatar.

Introduction

State defined as the central political sphere Cast as entity separate from society Studies, such as rentier state theory dominates studies

on Arab Gulf states. State centered studies overlook crucial actors. Such approaches can study role, function, or impact by

civil society actors. Other variables have been excluded in favor of

attesting to the state or the role of oil wealth, although oil is a strong variable.

There is evidence that civil society sectors are playing a role in nationalization projects, development and other goals.

Beyond the State and State Theories

Governmentality “the conduct of conduct”. Here, I use the concept to signify the diffusion of modes

of governance, such as state feminism, beyond the boundaries of the state.

More recently ‘governmentality’ has been used to describe a process of neo-liberalism in which a transfer of government operations to non-state entities occurs “that can produce a degree of ‘autonomization’ of entities of government from the state”.

one needs to look at how the process of a decentralization and ‘empowerment’ may both provide greater ability to support nationalization and empower women, and especially that of a welfare or rentier state.

meaning the rationalities of rule of the rentier state, which aims for greater control over civil society through strategies of cooptation, facilitated predominantly through rentierism but also through coercion, as well as through techniques of neo-liberal governmentality, assisted by a limited and controlled form of ‘responsibilization’, which can be called ‘rentier governmentality’.

Through verticality and encompassment, the state and official women’s associations (re)configure the state and civil society sectors, including supporting nationalization.

‘Verticality’ refers to the state as an institution that is somehow ‘above’ civil society, the community and family. State planning consequently will be top-down and state actions directed to direct from above, whilst grassroots actions are contrasted with those of the states, because they are initiated from below.

With the idea of ‘encompassment’ the state is located within an ever-widening ripple of circles, starting with family and local community and ending with the system of nation-states.

Rentier Governmentality

Women’s organizations that receive some form of funding by the state, GONGOs

Each country has a federation or union governing a number of organizations which represents women internationally.

Organizations: Federation of Kuwaiti Women’s Associations; Bahrain’s Women’s Society (12/19); Oman’s Women’s Association (23 + 50 affiliates); UAE Women’s Association (33); Qatar’s Supreme Council for Family Affairs (6).

Lessons, lectures, conferences, and seminars within associations focus on four main areas: religion, health and beauty, family issues, and general skills development.

Overview of Government-Supported Women’s Organizations

A number of techniques of governmentality are implemented to strengthen and support the nationalization process and national visions.

Key threats: globalizing forces, internal insecurity and economic.

State supported feminism is most crucial means to achieving unity, identity building and stability.

Strategies include: engaging in a discourse of unity and nation-building, visual and emotive symbols, regulating self-organizing groups through policies and oil.

Nationalization and the Quest for Stability: 1. Strategy

Either investment or policies have been made in enabling growth of organizations to support or even bolster nationalization objectives.

Ex. UAE, Qatar, Oman provisions of funding. Ex. Oman 47/66 women’s orgs. associations require approval only by the minister of social development as opposed to the Council of Ministers. Ex. Bahrain Shia organizations routinely denied permits.

Salaries Bi-laws governing associations state they may not

engage in political activity, most GONGO associations direct their activities to areas regard as ‘apolitical’.

Nationalization and the Quest for Stability: 2. Policies and

Funding

Lessons: seminars, Qur’an recitation, hadith Seminars topics: women’s familial role, society, the

environment, da’wa, prayer, mysticism, charity, fasting, and child-raising.

Emphasis on religion: subject that women should grasp better than men. Women are producers of the nation and pass down knowledge.

Emphasis on health: children’s nutrition and general well-being, drug administration/ vaccination.

Physical enhancement: make-up, henna, or tips for hair

Nationalization and the Quest for Stability: 3a. Content

Emphasis on women’s roles: parenting, and how to be a good spouse.

General skills and literacy: computer skills, painting, drawing, cake decorating, baking, etiquette, fruit carving, cooking or flower arranging.

Revive ‘traditions’, through learning to make handicrafts, dresses, and other sewing/stitching activities.

Speeches and lessons drawing a clear link between a woman’s natural propensities and her duty towards her nation.

Nationalization and the Quest for Stability: 3b. Content

In the endeavour for stability and national developmentstate-directed discourses on shaping of role, purpose and identity

Women’s duties towards their nation. A specific model is promoted as the ideal woman along

with her ideal roles. Establishing women as “mothers of the nation” with

responsibility for “maintaining the traditional family structure” or “stable family”.

Education/development are a women’s weapon. The Kuwaitization, Bahrainization, Emiratization,

Qatarization or Omanization Plans cannot afford to have women staying at home.

Nationalization and the Quest for Stability: Discourses

Women within these associations must also be recognized as individuals whose agency is a product not only of nationalization programs, but also of other influences and priorities.

Islamist women and reformists in some associations demonstrates a ‘quiet’ disavowal of the nationalist goal.

This disavowal does not necessarily mean a contradiction with country visions; a better strategy would be to invest upon common visions for human development.

Some want greater political reform or pursue other interests.

As such, some programs are conflicting.

Nationalization and the Quest for Stability: Contradictions

Modernization and preservation of traditions.

Needs of this generation and the needs of future generations.

Managed growth and uncontrolled expansion.

Size and the quality of the expatriate labor force and the selected path of development.

Economic growth, social development and environmental management.(http://www.gsdp.gov.qa/portal/page/portal/GSDP_Vision_Root)

National Visions: The Case of Qatar Vision 2030 (challenges)

Human Development:  development of all its people to enable them to sustain a prosperous society.

Social Development:  development of a just and caring society based on high moral standards, and capable of playing a significant role in global partnerships for development.

Economic Development: development of a competitive and diversified economy capable of meeting the needs of, and securing a high standard of living for, all its people both for the present and for the future.

Environmental Development: management of the environment such that there is harmony between economic growth, social development and environmental protection.

National Visions: The Case of Qatar Vision 2030 (strategy)

The modality of state feminism as part of a mechanism of governmentality has enabled women to acquire some form of greater independence and self-development (education and work possibilities, prominent positions).

Associational programs to teach women domestic skills have contributed to better productivity, some aspects of self-esteem, and a sense of purpose – for those who do not want to support nationalization objective by entering labor market.

Organizations have a correcting or counter-weighing function within a society that is undergoing rapid change due to globalizing forces and capitalist interests.

Conclusions (1)

Organizations effective because they function primarily as a means for national priorities to be supported and officially as the places in which women can develop their selves.

Through supporting women’s empowerment, the state provides a crucial means of “governing at a distance.”

Therefore, the women’s GONGO organizations are invaluable because state strategies for nationalization include not only the economic sphere but also civil society.

The conventionally defined boundaries of the state are shown to collapse as these associations directly support and implement state policies.

Conclusions (2)

Accomplished through courses, classes, workshops with such content.

Most have courses, classes, workshops without contentious, legal, or other political ramifications.

Constraints/contradictions to Nationalization Project: building a consciousness that women rely on organizational leadership, sometimes establishing that ‘women’s nature’ cannot permit them to function as their male counterparts in political realm and labor force, talk and activity channeled towards issues devoid of any controversial legal or other political content.

Constraints/contradictions to Health of Entire Society: Because the associations are socially stratified and represent specific concerns, problems such as rape and abuse faced by maidservants, the plight of the Bedoon, or foreign women forced into prostitution, are often disregarded.

Conclusions (3)

Paradigm shifts are possible – necessary. National Visions need to be guiding principles. Support through civil society of National

Visions need to be wholistic, not partial, and via a shift within governmentality.

Systems view must be used to support broader principles and guide strategies of civil society orgs. for National Visions to succeed.

Women’s organizations as representing bulk of civil society have this important role.

Conclusions (4)