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About
Gary Wasserman's decision to head to Qatar to teach at Georgetown sounds questionable, at best. "In the beginning," he writes, "this sounds like a politically incorrect joke. A Jewish guy walks into a fundamentalist Arab country to teach American politics at a Catholic college." But he quickly discovers that he has entered a world that gives him a unique perspective on the Middle East and on Muslim youth; that teaches him about the treatment of Arab women and what an education will do for them, both good and bad; shows him the occasionally amusing and often deadly serious consequences his students face simply by living in the Middle East; and finds surprising similarities between his culture and the culture of his students.
Most importantly, after eight years of teaching in Qatar he realizes he has become part of a significant, little understood movement to introduce liberal, Western values into traditional societies. Written with a sharp sense of humor, The Doha Experiment offers a unique perspective on where the region is going and clearly illustrates why Americans need to understand this clash of civilizations.
Most importantly, after eight years of teaching in Qatar he realizes he has become part of a significant, little understood movement to introduce liberal, Western values into traditional societies. Written with a sharp sense of humor, The Doha Experiment offers a unique perspective on where the region is going and clearly illustrates why Americans need to understand this clash of civilizations.
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Reviews
"This book despite its many moments of levity offers a serious and important lesson about the possibilities, and limitations, of American education as a bridge between cultures."
Senator Dick Durbin, from the foreword
"Given the number of American universities that have established satellites in distant parts of the world, it's remarkable so few people have written about this phenomenon. Gary Wasserman's account of his experience in Qatar is a fascinating introduction to this very twenty-first century meeting of cultures: subtle, full of insight, often wise and sometimes hilarious."
Adam Hochshild, author of King Leopold's Ghost and Spain in Our Hearts
"Gary Wasserman is a splendid tour guide to a country few of us know anything about, let alone visited. Deeply insightful, he has written a wonderful book with ingratiating humility, honesty and respect. The Doha Experiment reads like an edgy sitcom, as humorous as it is sad."
Lewis Black, comedian, actor, and New York Times bestselling author of Nothing's Sacred