Tribalism and Political Power in the Gulf

State-Building and National Identity in Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE

Courtney Freer author Alanoud al-Sharekh author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:21st Oct '21

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Tribalism and Political Power in the Gulf cover

Analyses the political role of tribes in the Gulf

Gulf societies are often described as being intensely tribal. However, in discussions of state building and national identity, the role of tribalism and tribal identity is often overlooked. This book analyses the political role of tribes in Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE aiming to understand the degree to which tribes hinder or advance popular participation in government and to what extent they exert domestic political power.
The research traces the historical relationship between ruling elites and nomadic tribes, and, by constructing political histories of these states and analysing the role of tribes in domestic political life and social hierarchies, reveals how they serve as major political actors in the Gulf.
A key focus of the book is understanding the extent to which societies in the Gulf have become ‘re-bedouinised’ in the modern era and how this has shaped these states’ political processes and institutions. The book explores the roles that tribes play in the development of “progressive” citizenship regimes and policymaking today, and how they are likely to be influential in the future within rentier environments.

Insightfully ... the book presents a historical, conceptual and digital understanding of tribal mechanisms in these states and represents an outstanding contribution to Gulf studies. * International Affairs *
This book is essential for a meaningful understanding of the prevailing political, social and economic conditions of the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. An admirable contribution to the literature that will stand the test of time. -- Hossein G. Askari, Iran Professor of International Business and International Affairs, The George Washington University, USA
A richly nuanced study of the changing relations of tribe and state in the Arabian Peninsula. The authors pose a fresh challenge to the prominent notion that the rentier state has significantly limited the role of independent actors, and especially tribes, in contributing to national identity formation in the Gulf region. A most welcome contribution that will attract the interest of scholars working across the social sciences. -- Philip S. Khoury, Ford International Professor of History, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Concentrating on the impact of tribes in the three Gulf states with high income and small national populations, Freer and Alsharekh ably explain tribal importance in badu identity, electoral politics, and their continuing sociopolitical role -- J.E. Peterson, historian and political analyst

ISBN: 9781838606084

Dimensions: 236mm x 160mm x 18mm

Weight: 500g

224 pages