Maryam Almutawa

About me:

I am a PhD student at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies and doing my research on cultural heritage in Qatar. Prior to pursuing my doctoral degree, I obtained a master's degree in contemporary Muslim societies from Hamad bin Khalifa University in Qatar. 

My research will discuss that there are long-term consequences on the indigenous heritage of the overuse of Western approaches and expertise. This claim presents itself in the loss of local narratives and the diminishment and depreciation of many traditions considered integral to local heritage by certain populations. I will use pearling history as a case study to exemplify the contemporary reinterpretation and curation of a pivotal aspect of local heritage. With this case study, I aim to dissect the representation of pearling history in cultural projects and museums to argue that its display functions more as a touristic tool rather than a cultural tool for veritable heritage preservation.