Creative Economies And Qatar

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

The creative economies—encompassing sectors such as design, fashion, film, media, architecture, visual and performing arts, cultural heritage, gaming, and digital innovation—have emerged as a defining force in global cultural and economic transformation. They have been main drivers of the global shift toward innovation, design, cultural capital creation and social transformation. The creative economies have also been key players in generating effective cultural diplomacy as a means of soft power-based foreign policy and activities. In this course, we will focus particularly on the specific circumstances involved in establishing, managing, organizing, and sustaining creative economies in Qatar, whose national strategy places creativity, innovation, and cultural production at the heart of its transition toward a diversified and knowledge-based society. Students will explore how the creative economies shape and are shaped by local institutions, markets, and policies, analyzing Qatar’s expanding cultural infrastructure. Through seminars, field visits, and discussions with practitioners, the course investigates the dynamics of cultural entrepreneurship, creative labor, intellectual property, and sustainability in a rapidly globalizing creative landscape. Special attention will be given to how Qatar engages global creative networks to build cross-cultural partnerships and foster inclusive, future-oriented creative ecosystems. Students enrolled in the course must be available for scheduled seminars and field trips in downtown Doha.