Doha Institute for Graduate Studies

For Smith, love inextricably involves negative feelings, what this paper calls “bonding cost”. The bonding cost can be moderate. However, it can easily become excessive, taking the form of turbulent emotions, obsessions, vulnerabilities, and ego‐centrism. Hence, it is no wonder that Smith is highly critical of love. However, paradoxically, Smith also embraces love, as it nurtures individual development and family warmth. Should we therefore conclude that Smith is inconsistent? Not necessarily if we introduce rational choice theory to the analysis of love and bonding—which Smith calls “mutual sympathy”. Rational choice theory allows us to identify the suboptimal level of love, namely when bonding costs (i.e., obsessions and emotional upheavals) exceed the benefits of love (the nurture of individual development and family warmth). Otherwise, when the benefits of love equal bonding costs, the level of love is optimal. Furthermore, another thesis of the paper, the proposed rational analysis of bonding, should not mean that bonding and material/substantive motives/preferences are commensurable. The distinction of love‐based preferences (bonding) from substantive‐based preferences (material satisfaction) challenges us to identify exactly how love differs from substantive satisfaction—a challenge that this paper undertakes.

This study examines the framing strategies utilized by two English-language newspapers – Arab News and Tehran Times – in their reporting of the Saudi-Iranian relationship before and after the diplomatic reconciliation in 2023. The research employs qualitative textual analysis to examine articles published over six months with the aim of determining the prevailing frames employed by each newspaper. The study reveals a notable transition in media coverage of this relationship from antagonism to prospect cooperation in both countries. The analysis indicates that prior to normalization, there was a significant prevalence of ‘conflict and hostility’ and ‘western influence and intervention’ frames in the coverage. Consistent with Saudi Arabian viewpoints, Arab News frequently structured its reporting to mirror the Kingdom’s diplomatic positions and policy agendas. Tehran Times , on the other hand, presented Iran’s foreign policy initiatives as defensive measures in the face of regional tensions and reflected the country’s perspective. After normalization, a notable change was observed in the way information was presented. Both newspapers started to embrace more conciliatory narratives such as ‘diplomatic triumph’ and ‘regional stability’ frames. The results of this study enhance our comprehension of how prominent media outlets in historically unstable regions adapt their storytelling in reaction to geopolitical shifts. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of media framing in the context of international affairs.

This study analyses how the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) framed and sourced news during the first three weeks of the 2023 Israel–Gaza war (7–28 October 2023), utilizing a framing approach to assess impartiality. Building on quantitative content analyses, it compares twenty cross-party and party-specific frames, as well as variations in the utilization of sources in the BBC’s ‘Israel–Gaza war’ section. The analyses reveal minimal disparities in the use of cross-party positive frames between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, with the human-interest frame being the most prevalent. However, the use of cross-party negative frames was partial to Israel, with a substantially higher frequency of criminality and terrorism frames in Palestinian narratives, despite some references to Israel’s violations. Party-specific frames favouring Israel were markedly more prominent than those favouring Palestine, while Palestinian concerns were marginalized. The BBC cited Israeli political and citizen sources more frequently than Palestinian sources, whereas Palestinian medical sources were cited more often than Israeli ones.

The literature on cooperation acknowledges different forms of cooperation and their corresponding forms of reciprocity. This paper goes further and shows that most of these different forms are indeed distinct types; hence, the terms “cooperation” and “reciprocity” are portmanteau. This paper proposes a taxonomy of ten types: i) quid pro quo; ii) intertemporal allocation; iii) altruism; iv) formal obligations (justice); v) informal obligations (repayment of favors); vi) gifts; vii) allegiance; viii) hegemony; ix) grants; and x) philanthropy. Nonetheless, “beneficence”, defined as the promotion of the good, is common to all ten types. The promotion of the good entails actions that are free from i) opportunism and deception; ii) self-aggrandizement; and iii) malevolence (envy, schadenfreude, etc.). One payoff of the proposed ten-type taxonomy of cooperation/reciprocity is the delineation of five disciplines: anthropology, economics, political science, sociology, and psychology. Each discipline is suitable for the study of one or two types of cooperation/reciprocity. This raises a question: how does each discipline conceive of the other types appropriate for adjacent disciplines? This paper finds that each discipline effectively sculptures the other types after its own preconceived mode of conception (toolkit)—amounting to “interdisciplinary social science imperialism.” The proposed ten-type taxonomy promises a transdisciplinary platform that is impartial, i.e., able to help researchers avoid interdisciplinary imperialism. This payoff shows the possibility of unifying the social sciences without interdisciplinary imperialism, i.e., reducing all types of cooperation/reciprocity to one’s favored preconceived toolkit.

What is the determinant of the scope of justice? Should rules of justice that regulate the interactions of the members of my society be extended to cover how such members interact with outsiders, entities that fall outside the boundary of my society? Two major approaches—namely, the deontological/contractarian and the utilitarian—offer their answers. Although their answers differ, they are universal in the sense that they do not draw a boundary between the members of my society and outsiders. As a result, one answer is deficient while the other is non-feasible. The only possible answer is the “Average Principle”. The Average Principle means that the boundary of my society can expand as long as the average wellbeing (GDP/capita) of my society does not decline. However, the Average Principle faces its own problem: the Average Principle is contingent on one’s group membership—i.e., amounting to a parochial answer. That is, the Average Principle cannot be a universal response as the case with the deontological/contractarian and the utilitarian approaches. In effect, this paper finds that the scope of the justice question faces a dilemma. While the deontological/contractarian and the utilitarian approaches involve universal moral principles, one is deficient and the other is non-feasible. While the Average Principle reasoning is non-deficient and feasible, it cannot amount to a universal moral principle. This paper finds that the scope of justice dilemma has no solution that is universal while, simultaneously, non-deficient and feasible.

Objectives Hypersexuality involves an inability to control intense, recurring sexual impulses, resulting in repetitive sexual behaviours. It frequently manifests in patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia. Using a qualitative approach, this study aims to explore the impact of hypersexuality on spousal carers of patients with PD and dementia. Design Qualitative study using semistructured interviews and thematic analysis. Setting This study was conducted in secondary care settings, including movement disorder and dementia clinics, as well as through patient support organisations. Participants were recruited from multiple centres across the UK. Interviews were conducted in a clinical research setting. Participants Eight spousal carers (five caring for patients with PD, three for patients with dementia) participated in the study. Participants were selected based on their role as primary carers and their experience managing hypersexuality in their partners. Results The thematic analysis identified 12 themes: manifestations, sexual practices, impact, control, emotional formulations, beliefs in causes of hypersexuality and attributions, relationship with the partner, dealing with hypersexuality, coping with hypersexuality, self-image, stigma and professional help-seeking. Hypersexuality altered patients’ sexual cognitions and behaviours, causing distress and strain on carers’ mental health and marital life. Carers struggled to cope with their partners’ hypersexuality, facing emotional burden and barriers to seeking professional help. Conclusions Hypersexuality significantly impacts spousal carers of patients with PD and dementia, affecting their emotional well-being and relationships. Healthcare professionals should recognise and address hypersexuality’s psychological and relational consequences. Psychoeducation, support groups and tailored interventions for patients and carers are recommended to alleviate emotional distress. Future research should explore the broader familial impact of hypersexuality and develop effective management strategies.

Background/objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has tested health systems worldwide, exposing significant weaknesses and vulnerabilities, particularly its toll on healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to identify risk factors leading Canadian HCWs to consider leaving their positions due to stress or burnout during the pandemic. Methods Data from the 2022 Survey on Healthcare Workers’ Experiences During the Pandemic (SHCWEP) were analyzed using the Shanafelt and Noseworthy (2017) framework. We hypothesized that factors such as workload, work-life balance, resource availability, social and community support at work, and job environment—including organizational culture, values, and flexibility—could influence HCWs' intentions to leave due to stress or burnout. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to identify significant risk factors for each HCW group. Results The SHCWEP survey had a 54.9% response rate, with 12,139 HCWs participating. Of these, 3,034 HCWs (25%) expressed an intention to leave their current job, and within this group, 1,350 cited stress or burnout as their reason, representing 11% of the total participants and 44% of those intending to leave. Factors associated with HCWs considering leaving due to stress and burnout included being younger to middle-age, increased workload, longer working hours, financial difficulties, conflicts with colleagues or management, non-adherence to PPE/IPC protocols, and lack of professional emotional support. Conclusion The findings underscore systemic issues exacerbated by the pandemic, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address workload, organizational culture, and emotional support to mitigate stress and burnout and improve healthcare worker retention.

Nostalgia, a sentimental longing for one's past, confers important psychological benefits: positive affect, social connectedness, meaning in life, self‐continuity, self‐esteem, optimism, and inspiration. Is nostalgia equally beneficial in populations that have experienced a difficult upbringing? We explored boundaries of nostalgia's psychological benefits in an experiment among Gaza Strip youth ( N = 416). We hypothesized additionally that resilience would catalyse the impact of nostalgia, with high‐resilience participants benefiting more than low‐resilience ones. Nostalgia only augmented social connectedness. As hypothesized, however, resilience emerged as a moderator. Whereas nostalgia increased positive affect and social connectedness among high‐resilience individuals, it reduced positive affect, meaning in life, self‐esteem, and inspiration among low‐resilience ones. Social environmental hardship plausibly limits the reach of nostalgia's benefits.

Digital transformation has revolutionized public service delivery, yet studies on societal engagement with e‐Government services in Qatar remain limited. Despite significant investments in digital governance, 70% of services continue to be accessed through traditional methods, indicating barriers to adoption. This study examines the factors influencing societal self‐motivation to use e‐Government platforms, with a focus on cultural and institutional challenges. This research employs a qualitative methodology, including semi‐structured interviews with representatives from government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector. The study also integrates secondary data sources to provide a broader contextual analysis. Findings reveal that while Qatar has advanced digital infrastructure and governance principles emphasizing transparency and efficiency, low digital self‐motivation, privacy concerns, and a preference for traditional service methods hinder e‐Governance adoption. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) explain how perceived ease of use, trust, and social influence shape engagement. The study recommends targeted awareness campaigns, NGO collaboration, and digital literacy initiatives to enhance societal engagement with e‐Government services. Strengthening privacy protections and promoting a digital government culture through community‐based outreach can foster wider adoption. Addressing these challenges is critical for realizing the full potential of Qatar's digital transformation and ensuring inclusive, transparent governance.

The main aim of this paper was to perform a secondary analysis of a dataset of migrant women in Spain to determine relationships between different types of intimate partner violence (IPV) and psychiatric symptoms, as well as core symptoms within IPV dimensions. The Cyber Aggression item “Sent messages that were threatening or harassing” (Cyber.10) was centrally situated across many measures, having a betweenness of 2.607, a closeness of 2.464, and a strength of 1.513. The research demonstrated how the relationship between multiple IPV and mental health disorders among Spanish migrant women is very multifactorial.

The 17 October 2019 uprising in Lebanon marked a pivotal period of economic crisis and discontent with the ruling elite. We examined social cohesion post‐uprising by exploring political polarization between “anti‐ruling parties” citizens and “partisan/unaligned” citizens, in two surveys with a community sample (Study 1, N = 357) and a nationally representative sample (Study 2, N = 1200). Across both studies, “anti‐ruling parties” respondents exhibited lower institutional trust, lower sectarianism, and greater support for a secular system compared to “partisan/unaligned” citizens. Conversely, no differences emerged surrounding economic discontent. Importantly, disenchantment with the status quo emerged across political lines. (De)mobilization tendencies varied. In Study 1 (2020), with lingering revolutionary hope, “anti‐ruling parties” respondents showed stronger system‐challenging collective action orientations. In Study 2 (2022), amid counter‐revolutionary gains, disenchantment with October 17 groups emerged, with “anti‐ruling parties” respondents showing lower voting intention, greater migration tendencies, and less readiness to use arms.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated job pressure and risks for healthcare workers (HCWs), who have a significantly higher prevalence of COVID-19 than the general population. The study examines the work-related stressors encountered by healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients, focusing on potential variations based on personal and work-related variables. Objective This study investigated work-related stressors among healthcare professionals treating coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients, aiming to identify challenges and inform targeted support. The hypothesis posited that stress levels vary based on workload, extended hours, insufficient rest, discomfort from protective gear, burnout, and job dissatisfaction. Additionally, stress effects were expected to differ by sex, age, marital status, income, and education, with younger individuals, women, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experiencing higher rates of stress. Methods This study examined 198 Jordanian healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients across four government, semi-governmental, and private hospitals. The custom-designed instrument assessed demographics and work-related stressors. The measurement instrument and model showed high reliability and validity. Results The findings revealed that work-related stress and fatigue were rampant among participants, influenced by workload, extended working hours, insufficient rest time, and discomfort from protective gear. Burnout and job dissatisfaction were also reported, with a significant proportion contemplating leaving their jobs. Gender disparities were noted: males struggled with shift systems, while females faced difficulties accessing personal protective equipment and feared job loss. Younger individuals experienced higher stress and fatigue levels, whereas older groups reported significant stress and fatigue compared to middle-aged groups. Additionally, the marital status, education level, and income were linked to specific stress factors. Conclusions The findings confirm that healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients experience varying work-related stress levels due to workload, long hours, insufficient rest, protective gear discomfort, burnout, and job dissatisfaction. The findings, therefore, underscore the need for targeted support and interventions to address stress and safeguard their well-being during the pandemic.

The intertwined legacy of sports and racism has been a consistent feature in the maintenance of social power, cultural politics, and racial inequality in modern history. Despite providing a critical platform for individual or collective national expressions, sports (as a game and a stage) have also been deployed as strategic tools to articulate a representational vision for western neo-colonial ideology. The aim of this article is to critically examine the pervasive media narratives that have shaped western cultural popular discourse about Qatar's FIFA World Cup as the embodiment of the Arab-Muslim oriental other. Relying on postcolonial theory and discursive analysis, this article argues that the racialized cultural disparagement of the ‘Arab’ and ‘Muslim’ Qatari identity in some popular media narratives during the 2022 FIFA World Cup was in fact a form of neo-colonial anxiety intended to disavow the ‘menacing presence’ of Europe's cultural other within its presumed civilizational domain.

This study examines the role of Sheikh NGOs as financial gatekeepers in Yemen’s NGO sector, showing how their control over aid distribution reinforces dependency and limits local NGOs' autonomy. Through interviews with 45 stakeholders, the research reveals the challenges that local NGOs face in achieving financial sustainability amid economic instability, political turmoil, and dwindling donor support. The findings indicate a significant asymmetry in funding, with Sheikh NGOs monopolizing resources, which constrains the flexibility and innovation of smaller NGOs. Integrating dependency theory, the study illustrates how reliance on intermediaries reinforces power imbalances, while collective impact theory highlights the potential for transformative partnerships. Successful collaborations, like those between the Youth Leadership Development Foundation and local NGOs, underscore the need for Sheikh NGOs to adopt more supportive roles, empowering smaller organizations. This study calls for a reconfiguration of roles within Yemen's NGO sector, advocating a shift from dependency to partnership. In fostering collaboration and supporting local NGO autonomy, stakeholders can build a more equitable and resilient framework, ultimately enhancing humanitarian efforts in Yemen.

Introduction The current study aimed to evaluate the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and suicidal ideation among women using a network analysis approach. Method Secondary data including 440 women (mean age ± SD = 32.78 ± 8.09) who experienced IPV in the last 6 months were used. The Revised Composite Abuse Scale‐Short Form, Columbia‐Suicide Severity Rating Scale and Revised Scale of Economic Abuse were used to assess IPV and suicidal ideation. Network analysis, centrality measures and bridge centrality were applied to understand the interplay between IPV and suicide risk factors. Results The strongest association in the network analysis was found between ‘Wish to be Dead’ (S.1) and ‘Non‐Specific Active Suicidal Thoughts’ (S.2) with a weight of 0.523, indicating a substantial correlation between general suicidal thoughts and particular desires to die. IPV symptoms, particularly economic exploitation and psychological abuse, showed strong links to suicidal ideation. ‘Active Suicidal Ideation with Specific Plan and Intent’ (S.5) was significantly related to ‘Make you take out a loan or buy something on credit when you didn't want to’ (EA.11) with a weight of 0.276. Additionally, centrality analysis showed that ‘Wish to be Dead’ (S.1) was the most central node in the network of suicidal ideation, with the highest centrality score (betweenness = 2.625). Conclusion These findings suggest that IPV, mainly psychological abuse, plays a pivotal role in suicidal ideation among women. Mental health interventions should focus on addressing IPV‐related psychological abuse. Suicide prevention efforts must integrate IPV screening into clinical practice.

Abstract: This article examines Libya's complex landscape, marked by a persistently weak state apparatus since the Gaddafi era, which continues to raise significant concerns. Following the 2011 revolution, Libya has remained a battleground of conflict and war. This study investigates the factors influencing Libya's transition, with a particular focus on the role of civil society in governance and political and economic reforms. The research draws on two qualitative studies that complement the researcher's expertise in the Libyan context. The first study involved on-site meetings and discussions, while the second included 32 interviews conducted in late 2023 and early 2024. Participants, comprising politicians, economists, academics, and civil society leaders, provided diverse perspectives. Key findings highlight Libya's lack of strong state institutions and the rule of law, challenges to governance and reforms amid ongoing conflict, and skepticism towards civil society, which makes its role more complex and more difficult. This study offers theoretical perspectives and invaluable information to foster and facilitate civil society engagement in governance and transition. Additionally, it provides recommendations for creating an enabling environment for transition in Libya and countries facing similar conditions, such as those during the Arab Spring. Keywords: Civil Society, Governance, Political and Economic Transition, Libya, Arab Spring.

Qatar and Singapore are small nations, collaborate in Digital Transformation (DT), innovation, public administration initiatives. Despite both countries advancing in ICT infrastructure, challenges in technology adoption differ. This study investigates UX impact in the main e-government websites on technology acceptance and DT maturity in both countries. By clarifying UX main enablers make Singapore more advanced in technology acceptance, that leads to higher DT maturity than Qatar continues to face challenges even with the ongoing efforts. The study focuses on understanding user behavior toward technology by using UTAUT model. The comparative analysis of Qatar's "Hookumi" and Singapore's "Developer, using automated tools and manual reports from United Nations and World Bank datasets. The findings show both platforms highlight similarly the role of performance, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions as Internet broadband to behave users toward technology this impacts DT, but social influence was not clear despite both prioritize citizen satisfaction. Qatar advances in accessibility, investing in e-health and e-education services but faces with obstacles in unified e-services platform, technology adoption, and data fragmentation. Singapore demonstrates best practices has effective “one-stop” platform, user-centricity research center, data integration and e-financial services with high CX. The research contributes UTAUT factors influences the value of UX in e-gov services driving technology adoption. The study recommends Qatar's policy and decision makers should make integrated e-services with accurate data, establish a research center to address users' challenges through e-participation and focus on digital literacy to foster DT. While Singapore should enhance accessibility standards as compliance. Both countries should enhance UX testing by involving diverse users including disabilities and AI tools partially. The study guides practitioners, researchers, and institutions to benefit from UX insights to collaborate and make practical partnerships and future research to resolve the limitations, as result the importance of UX in DT journey success.