Constructing Social Cohesion in Qatar: National Vision, Strategy, and Constitution

Abstract Social cohesion is eroding around the world, and governments are working to foster cohesiveness. This study explores how the State of Qatar has integrated social cohesion into its key strategic planning documents. We do so by integrating locally relevant conceptualizations, as well as Western ideas, of social cohesion. Our central analysis is of three key national documents: the Constitution of the State of Qatar, Qatar National Vision 2030, and the Third Qatar National Development Strategy 2024–2030. We coded each document for mentions of social cohesion along with eight other Western and Islamic concepts. We find that these legal and strategic policy blueprints integrate both traditions, thus creating a model of social cohesion that is rooted in the Qatari context while being cognizant of global principles. This study contributes to the broader decolonization of policy discourses by engaging new epistemological orientations for understanding and assessing social cohesion and its related concepts.