Primer: NU-Q

Given that this debate resolution has attracted attention from some audiences that might be unfamiliar with our organization, we thought we would provide some information about NU Political Union in addition to our standard Primer resources.

NU Political Union is a nonpartisan student forum for political debate and discussion on Northwestern’s campus. Our resolutions reflect neither the official position of the club or of Northwestern as a university. Our debates are designed to promote discussion of relevant political topics that affect Northwestern students. Each debate includes a wide range of perspectives, with at least one member explicitly representing each side of a given issue. Past debate resolutions have included repealing the 2nd amendment, Greek Life at Northwestern, raising the federal minimum wage, and more. The purpose of the debates is to encourage thoughtful engagement with often controversial topics. 

With that said, here are some resources describing the context of the resolution:

In 2015, the Washington Post provided a brief overview of the opening of multiple U.S. college campuses in Doha, along with the perspective of a Northwestern professor who visited the campus.

An American advocacy group for free speech rights on college campuses offers some context on the ongoing debates between professors on the Doha Campus.

This article from the Arab Center Washington D.C. describes the impact that U.S. universities in Qatar have had on women’s education in the Middle East. 

For some information and varying perspectives on migrant work in Qatar: 

This article from the NU-Q edition of The Daily offers a student’s perspective on the use of migrant labor on campuses in Doha. 

These articles on the Kafala System and enhanced global scrutiny of Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup describe some of the concerns the global community has voiced about the country.