Navigating Traditional‐Modernity: Women's Evolving Role in Qatar's National Identity

ABSTRACT This article critically examines the evolving role of women in Qatar's nation‐building project through a combination of intersectional and post‐colonial perspectives. By analysing women's socio‐political positioning in the national context, it unveils the complex interplay between conceptualisations of ‘tradition’ and ‘modernity’ in shaping Qatar's national identity. The research argues that Qatar's national identity narrative, which strategically positions women, emerges from three key factors: a carefully curated tradition‐modernity synthesis, a potent ‘us versus them’ discourse typical of nationalist narratives and socio‐political institutions with roots in the country's imperial past. This narrative has dynamically evolved to align with Qatar's changing vision, policies and global aspirations, serving to reconstruct national identity domestically while bolstering international legitimacy. Employing a multilayered analytical approach combining archival research, institutional analysis and oral testimony, the study deconstructs the homogenous conception of the ‘Qatari woman’ prevalent in dominant academic literature, instead foregrounding the diverse and multidimensional nature of national identity in Qatar through a gendered lens. The post‐colonial framework uncovers the power relations and lasting impact of colonization on national institutions, with particular attention to women's position within them. This research contributes to our understanding of gender dynamics in nation‐building, offering insights into the relationship between national identity, gender and socio‐political change in the Gulf region and beyond.