Anna Streetman, News Editor
Faculty adviser Tom Doleys had the chance to travel to Qatar as part of the prestigious Malone Fellowship.
The Malone Fellowship was founded in 1984 by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations. The fellowship aims to promote a better understanding of U.S.-Arab relations through firsthand experience.
The trip took place from Nov. 27 through Dec. 5. Doleys was part of a team of 15 Malone fellows, who convened on Nov. 28 at the offices of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (NCUSAR) in Washington, D.C. for orientation. They met with various officials, including noted Middle East expert and former U.S. ambassador to Qatar, John Duke Anthony . They then left for Doha, the capital of Qatar, that night. Once in the country, they were joined by two representatives of the Qatari government.
The trip involved visiting many historically and politically significant places in Qatar. The group visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they met with Dr. Hassan Ibrahim Khamees Al-Muhanadi, the Director of the Diplomatic Institute. There, the group discussed Qatari foreign policy with an emphasis on U.S.-Qatari relations. The group also visited Al Jazeera, which Doleys described as “a highlight of the trip.” There, the group saw the world headquarters for the news network. The group visited many other places, but those two stood out to Doleys.
Doleys said he learned invaluable things about many aspects of the country, particularly the culture.
“The contrast with ‘Western’ societies is considerable,” Doleys said. “The trip encouraged me to better understand the nature of key differences (in dress, diet, and social norms). It was clearly eye-opening for the students on the trip. Many had a hard time reconciling their own norms and values with those of a society where women wear the veil, and where pork and alcohol are almost impossible to come by (esp. pork).”
Doleys’ trip to Qatar is only part of the fellowship. The fellowship is a year-long commitment. The most important part of the fellowship is sharing what was learned with audiences in the area. Doleys plans to make a presentation during the semester’s “Year of the Arabian Peninsula” program. He also plans to speak to community groups. Doleys is also readily available to speak to any groups on campus interested in learning more about his experience.
Doleys describes himself as “a Europeanist by inclination and training.” He completed his undergraduate degree at Duke University, where he majored in political science. He also has a master’s in Foreign and International Affairs from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D from Vanderbilt, where he wrote his dissertation on the evolution of competition policy in the European Union. In his free time, he likes to go road biking, with a personal goal of completing a “century,” or a 100-mile ride.
