This book offers an in-depth analysis of social welfare system in a rentier state, Qatar, tracing its evolution and institutional development. Through the innovative lens of 'modern traditionalism,' it examines how Qatar blends contemporary social policies with traditional cultural values across nine key sectors: public health, education, social security, social care, housing, disability, employment, family, and gender. The book's unique approach combines the Policy Arrangement Approach with Rentier State Theory and Historical Institutionalism to provide in-depth analyses of Qatar's social welfare policies. This interdisciplinary perspective offers fresh insights into the interplay between modernization, tradition, and social policy in a rentier state. Covering historical trajectories, current institutional arrangements, and future challenges, the book provides a holistic view of Qatar's social welfare system. It explores how the country navigates the tensions between rapid modernization and cultural preservation, offering valuable lessons for other countries. Intended for academics, policymakers, and students in public policy, Middle Eastern studies, social policy, and development studies, this book offers both theoretical depth and practical insights. It is an essential resource for understanding social welfare development in resource-rich states, offering valuable insights for both academic research and policy formulation in the Arab Gulf region and beyond.

Autorentext

Anis Ben Brik is an associate professor of social policy and evaluation at the College of Public Policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. He has authored and edited multiple influential works, including Public Policy Evaluation in the Middle East and North Africa, which provides an in-depth examination of Public Policy Evaluation, shaped by political regimes and administrative traditions in the MENA region. His works are known for critically addressing the complexities of governance and social challenges in the Arab world. Dr. Ben Brik's Silent Pain and Public Policy: Suicide and Social Welfare in the Middle East and North Africa is a groundbreaking exploration of suicide in the MENA region, examining the limitations of social welfare systems in addressing this pressing issue. By identifying key factors such as political instability, gender disparities, and youth vulnerability, this book calls for a comprehensive, culturally informed approach to public policy reform.