Let's Throw Rationality to the Wind!

“Your questions are rational ones that one would plan on asking, but you won’t find answers.”

Relaxing in my interviewee’s home, soothed by the background vocals of James Blunt, I was hoping that the curtain would suddenly fall, and expose the web of interactions that are policy making in Oman.

Well the curtain fell, or at least drooped a bit.

I started with a string of questions about special interests’ influences on decision makers, coordination between ministries, power, authority, and culture. Her immediate response: “Your questions are rational ones that one would plan on asking, but you won’t find answers.” Alhamdulillah! That is the straightest answer I've gotten in Oman. Then I had my light bulb moment.

Until now I had unconsciously assumed that there was a “business-as-usual” network of interests and decisions that led to policy development in the Sultanate. If I could just find out which big actor had his hand on the yes or no button. If only I knew that you always had to approach this member of the Majlis Ash Shura. Perhaps I would stumble upon the flow that transformed an idea to a ministerial decision and uncover the path that was always taken to enact a new piece of legislation.

My interviewee raised many points that shattered the frame I was viewing my research through. I had unwittingly assumed too many things. Of course my questions were rational. Of course the answers weren’t.

An answer to these questions would mean that there is a system and a big picture. A system would mean that decision making always happened the same way. A big picture would mean that all of those decisions were made with a firm grasp on how the idea fit into the big picture. I don’t think there is a functioning system in Oman. And I don’t think there is a big picture.

Of course, yes, there are institutions. Okay, okay, and we have Master Plans, and the Vision 2020 for the country. But a system would be the reliable interaction of these institutions. Each body understanding its role in relation to other organizations. Actors feeling as though they are representatives of that institution, not making decisions on the basis of personal commercial interests on the side of their official work.

Master Plans and spewing buzz words is all well and good, kind of. But does everyone know the exact steps we are taking to get to the 2020 Vision? Who is being held accountable for progress and milestones on the nonexistent timeline for meeting our objectives? Who is being called on to perform, everyday, for this common goal? Or as my interviewee repeatedly said: We've got form. We don't have substance.

I've got a new thinking cap on. I'm throwing rationality to the wind. At least in my conventional understanding of it.