The Making of the Modern Gulf States: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman

by Rosemarie Said Zahlan

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.

Genres: History, Middle East, Politics

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Ernesto]

Aprendí sobre cómo se formaron los países del golfo previo a mi viaje a Catar. Me ayudó a entender mejor el país, lo cual me dio un mayor entendimiento y apreciación del lugar mientras estuve ahí. Increíble cómo los europeos, en este caso ingleses, moldearon a su antojo la región, legitimando a líderes políticos y definiendo fronteras de naciones-estado que no existían previo a su llegada.

[Laura Diamond]

I read this for my Read Around the World challenge. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find anything more suitable for Bahrain. This was a little outdated and fairly dry, but it provided a lot of historical and political information for the country.

[Vici]

A good overview of the politics and family history of the Gulf states, even though it is of course a little outdated

[Yas]

The book is useful,relevant and a great read for any beginner on Gulf states.