Review (PDF) The Making Ot The Modern Gulf States: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, The United Arab Emirates And Oman
When Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait in August 1990, the Gulf states became the focus of frenzied international interest for the second time in a decade, the first having been during the Iraq-Iran war, 1980-8. Both events posed major threats to the regional state system which had evolved over almost two centuries. This book is based on a wide range of primary materials, including declassified documents used here for the first time. It defines and describes the geopolitical framework of the region and the state system which emanated from it. It explains how the Gulf states owe their creation and survival, sometimes against many odds, to forces well beyond the waters of the Gulf. Rosemarie Said Zahlan tells the story of the formation of the states, their evolution from colonial dependency to statehood, their socio-econo mic transformation by oil, and their stability in the midst of change. She illuminates their relationships with each other, with the wider Arab world, and with the major world powers. The result is an informed and balanced picture of the political, economic, religious and cultural character of the region. It is also a story of the powerful families and their shaikhs who have had to lead their countries so rapidly into the modern world, all the while preserving their own socio-political traditions.
Paperback: 212 pages
Publisher: Ithaca Press; Rev Upd edition (October 29, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0863722296
ISBN-13: 978-0863722295
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #2,637,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #16 in Books > History > Middle East > Bahrain #28 in Books > History > Middle East > Qatar #42 in Books > History > Middle East > United Arab Emirates
Zahlan covers the history of the Gulf states with special emphasis on the history of the various monarchical families. Sadly, her attitude is unflinchingly fawning; she seems afraid to say one negative thing about these countries and their economic and political challenges. As well, the writing style is very dry and wooden. Her bias is symbolized by one of the maps showing the UAE as extending westward all the way to Dawhat as Salwa, at the southwest base of Qatar. This reflects absurdly ambitious territorial claims of the UAE at a time when the Saudis have claimed the coast in the vicinity of Khawr Duwayhin, southeast of Qatar. This map is emblematic of the book's flaws. A much better book despite its age (1980) is 'Arabia, the Gulf, & the West' by J.B. Kelly.
This is the best introduction available on the Gulf states, examining such critical themes as the British imperial legacy and the relationship between state, economy, and social classes. It certainly offers a non-Orientalist treatment and avoids the condescending and often bigoted discourse adopted by such colonial-minded writers as J.B. Kelly. The late Said-Zahlan had a full mastery of the British archives and extensive knowledge of the region. This is reflected in this valuable and concise introductory work.
I purchased this book for a graduate course on the Arab gulf states. It was used as an introductory book to read. I enjoined it because it was an easy read. However I was a little bit frustrated because I felt the author was trying too hard to remain objective on certain subjects like colonialism and rentierism, etc. This seemed to cause the author to gloss over certain subjects. Where rather than being objective she could have provided a bit more detail from one angle to help understand the region.
The Making of the Modern Gulf States: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman (Routledge Library Editions: The Gulf) The Making of the Modern Gulf States: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman (The making of the Middle East) The Making ot the Modern Gulf States: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman History of Gulf States, Persian people,: Persian people, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirate History of Persian Gulf States, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirat: Government, Politics, Economy, Defense, Resources, People Pre-Islamic Archaeology of Kuwait, Northeastern Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman: a Bibliography. First Supplement (1985-1995). Pre-Islamic Archaeology of Kuwait, Northeastern Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman: A bibliography: Second Supplement (1996-2006) Folktales from the Arabian Peninsula: Tales of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, and Yemen (World Folklore) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Country Studies: A brief, comprehensive study of United Arab Emirates Britain's Revival and Fall in the Gulf: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Trucial States, 1950-71 (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of the Middle East) Ecuador and the United States: Useful Strangers (United States and the Americas) (United States and the Americas) (The United States and the Americas) Arabian Gulf Intelligence: Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government, New Series, No.XXIV, 1856, Concerning Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat ... Islands of the Gulf Scott 1998 Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps: Confederate States, Canal Zone, Danish West Indies Guam, Hawaii, United Nations : United ... Catalogue of United States Stamps) The Political Transformation of Gulf Tribal States: Elitism and the Social Contract in Kuwait, Bahrain and Dubai, 1918–1970s Soap Making: 365 Days of Soap Making (Soap Making, Soap Making Books, Soap Making for Beginners, Soap Making Guide, Soap Making Recipes, Soap Making Supplies): Soap Making Recipes for 365 Days From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, And The Uae: Challenges Of Security (CSIS Middle East Dynamic Net Assessment) The Ottoman Gulf: The Creation of Kuwait, Saudia Arabia, and Qatar United Arab Emirates (Modern Nations of the World (Lucent)) Group Conflict and Political Mobilization in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf: Rethinking the Rentier State (Indiana Series in Middle East Studies)
