Women and Political Interest in Qatar: Moving Ahead but Not Catching Up

Abstract

Interest in politics is an important ingredient in the formation of civil society, which in turn provides the basis for good governance. Existing research has not clarified drivers of political interest with respect to females in the Arabian Peninsula. This article investigates the gender gap in political interest in the context of the State of Qatar, incorporating factors such as education, income, and marital status as well as age and generational effects. It also incorporates religiosity, beliefs about traditional gender roles, and the impact of social media and Twitter usage as predictors of political interest. Nationally representative survey data from the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute from 2011 to 2014 are used to examine attitudes of political interest. Analysis indicates that gender gaps are persistent in spite of significant progress made by women in this area. Education and age are consistent predictors of political interest, followed by weaker positive effects for social media activity.