Shaikh Qasim Al-Thani and the Emergence of Qatar

James Reardon-Anderson, professor of history, presented his research on the formation of national identity in Qatar at a Faculty Research Seminar on January 5, 2019. Speaking to an audience of GU-Q faculty, students, staff and guests, Reardon-Anderson presented primary sources, including textbooks from the national curriculum, maps, and other sources, to compare and contrast contemporary expressions of national identity with examples from the past.

His presentation, which traces the career of Sheikh Qasim (Jassim) bin Mohammed Al-Thani, widely regarded as the central figure in the establishment of the state of Qatar and the House of Al-Thani, engendered a lively discussion about the historical record of Qatar.

Haitham Al Abri, senior researcher at at the Qatar National Library (QNL), attended the seminar, saying “Since the launch of the project to make Qatar’s historical records available online, people have begun to learn more about the history, shedding important light on important facts, supporting research, and helping people understand Qatari culture, heritage, and identity.” James Onley, director of historical research at QNL and editor of the Journal of Arabian Studies, also attended, and contributed his own insights into the historiography of the country, and the use of historical record to reconstruct the past.

Faculty Seminars

The GU-Q Faculty Seminars are an annual series in which GU-Q faculty and guests present research in progress and receive feedback from other faculty members. The central goal is to further faculty’s research by offering opportunities both to present ideas and to learn from the ideas of others from GU-Q, Education City, and beyond.