Hundreds of years of cultural development in the Middle East -- in addition to long-standing tension between the region and the United States -- inevitably will factor into the decision of whether to extend UNC to Qatar.
Unfortunately, experts believe America's ties with the Middle East create a less than black-and-white issue.
"It's a complex relationship, and I don't think it's easy to generalize," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Hooper and many other experts agree that if any tension exists between the West and the Middle East, the most blatant explanation lies in American "one-sided support of Israel" and sanctions on Iraq.
Some assume this conflict is indicative of an overarching contrast between American ideals and Muslim virtues, although others think differently.
Any hostility in Middle Eastern perceptions of U.S. actions is directed almost exclusively toward U.S. foreign policy and not at all toward Western ideals, Hooper said.
"In both regions, people want to live their lives," he said. "They have the same basic human needs."
UNC history Professor Sarah Shields echoed Hooper's sentiment and said the value systems of the two regions in fact are quite similar.
"I don't think there are any fundamental values or clashes," she said. "American values are inconsistent with foreign policy."
Taking these issues into context, Hooper believes that the Qatar project must be handled with sensitivity, and those involved need to stick to a mission where both regions educate each other instead of perpetuating animosity.
"It's just an open tradition of cultural exchange," he said. "I don't know how this should somehow be different than other areas in the world.
"Often there are strange things that happen when you deal with the Middle East -- there are various political agendas, religious agendas. ... You need to make sure those involved in the project have cultural exchange as the goal and not some ulterior motives."
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Qatar: A Progressive Nation?
The nation of Qatar is a traditional monarchy ruled by an independent emir -- a far cry from a democratic state.
But proponents of UNC's proposal have noted that the people of Qatar want to make the steps toward democratization, and a satellite campus with American virtues could buttress the process.
UNC political science Professor Mark Crescenzi said that although he is not an expert on Qatar specifically, he concurs that this is a valid argument for supporting the proposal and that perhaps UNC involvement could be a chance for America to engage in a nonmilitary fashion in the Middle East.
"My educated guess is that it's a place for opportunity to aid in democratization," he said.
But Shields said defining exactly what the Qatari people want from an American school can be troubling, mainly because it is difficult to classify who makes up the population.
She said only a small portion of the population is native Qatari, with the remaining population composed of workers from neighboring regions.
"I think if the people of Qatar want to move to a democracy, we could respond," she said. "Right now we don't know what the people want us to do."
Opponents of the Qatar proposal have focused less on the nation's willingness to transform its government and more on its political track record.
While not specifically denouncing the project, Crescenzi said he has legitimate concerns about how liberated the Qatari government is and whether students and faculty will enjoy American freedoms on a campus in Qatar.
"That's going to be difficult," he said. "They haven't reached the same level of equality."
Crescenzi hopes women in particular would be ensured human rights in a region where many are concerned women are expected to be subordinate. "Otherwise if I were a woman I wouldn't want to go," he said.
Moeser, who ultimately holds the power to make a decision about UNC's involvement in Qatar, said he is cognizant of human rights concerns.
Moeser said he believes the preservation of academic and religious freedom, as well freedom for peoples of various sexual orientations, is essential to the mission of the University within this project.
"We've made it clear ... that all of our policies affecting freedom are applied," he said.
Moeser said he is specifically concerned about the possibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender faculty teaching in Qatar -- where non-heterosexual sexual activity is punished. "I think this is one of the very sensitive areas where we don't really know were the demarcation lines are," he said.
The chancellor noted that while safety and security are ultimate concerns with the venture, one must put it into perspective. Only one American is in a Qatari jail, Moeser said.
But Moeser said officials are demanding an exit clause that will allow the University to pull out of the region if there is any sort of rejection of UNC's presence in the Middle Eastern nation or limitations of student or faculty rights.
"We have really not swept these issues under the rug," he said. "There are certainly no political prisoners in this country."
"My own take on Qatar is that ... this is a progressive state. Should we be going into a country that is not fully democratic? That's a good question," Moeser said.
American Imperialism in Qatar
The chancellor has been adamant that developing a UNC campus in Qatar would help the nation make a step toward both democracy and educational excellence by exporting the University's values.
Forming solid economic leadership in the nation, to build what Moeser described as a "tower of excellence," has been one of the Qatar Foundation's motives for approaching American universities, he said.
"The region itself -- they aspire to have their own people educated at a level of excellence," he said. "They recognize that American universities have intrinsic qualities they want."
But many have expressed concern that instilling American values in a nation like Qatar could sustain an already present Middle Eastern fear of Western imperialism.
"The language, 'We're going to help this nation move along a path to democracy' is the exact language missionaries and imperialists used 150 years ago," Shields said. "This is the type of language that resonates."
Experts agree that an imperialistic attitude must be avoided if the Qatar project is adopted.
"If you check your arrogance at the door, ... if you can get rid of that, then we have the opportunity to give them more information," Crescenzi said.
Moeser has articulated that it is not the University's motive to force American influence on the Qatari people but rather to exchange cultural traditions.
"I don't think our job is to turn (Qatar) into a Western neo-colony," he said.
"We have to be respectful of the cultural context of which we operate."
Crescenzi said individuals who believe UNC involvement in Qatar would be imperialistic probably will not change their outlook.
"You're not going to convince less people it's Western imperialism -- their minds are made up," he said. "(But) I have trouble seeing an academic institution as a threat."
But Crescenzi said it is difficult to speculate whether a non-imperialistic venture in Qatar could be successful for all parties involved because there is a multitude of complexities that must be weighed.
"I have no idea -- it's too early to tell."
The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.
