Inside Qatar: Hidden Stories from One of the Richest Nations on Earth by John McManus

Inside Qatar: Hidden Stories from One of the Richest Nations on Earth by John McManus is an intimate portrait of life in Qatar in the period leading up to the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup. It traces the country’s rapid transformation over the past 75 years, from a Gulf nation reliant on pearl diving to a state shaped by gas wealth and far-reaching ambition.

McManus, an anthropologist, describes a place of striking contrasts: skyscrapers, museums and futuristic football stadiums rising from the desert, alongside the realities faced by those working out of sight. Through accounts of people across Qatari society, the book explores the hidden worlds of the gilded elite, spin doctors and thrill seekers, as well as manual labourers and domestic workers.

Key details

• Author: John McManus
• Set in Qatar ahead of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup
• Explores Qatar’s transformation over the past 75 years
• Written from an anthropological perspective

Synopsis

Set against Qatar’s rise to global attention, Inside Qatar examines how people live within a nation marked by immense wealth and sharp inequality. It brings together stories from across society, from the country’s elite and image-makers to those doing manual and domestic work in difficult conditions.

Rather than presenting an “exotic” collection of anecdotes, the book connects these experiences to wider concerns, including unfettered capitalism, growing inequality and climate change.