The Politics of Qat

How one plant explains Yemen's dysfunction.

BY PEER GATTER | FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Chewing qat is often thought of as an idle pastime -- a habit that leads to lethargy and complacency. But it is also a stimulant, and many workers and craftsmen, such as these blacksmiths in the old city of Sanaa, use qat to help boost their stamina during their working hours.

Peer Gatter/The Politics of Qat

 

Peer Gatter is a political scientist and Middle Eastern and Islamic studies scholar who served as an advisor to Yemen's Ministry of Planning and Water during the 2000s for the U.N. Development Program and the World Bank. In 2002, he organized Yemen's "First National Conference on Qat." He is the author of Politics of Qat -- The Role of a Drug in Ruling Yemen.