1st Edition
The Making of Contemporary Kuwait Identity, Politics, and its Survival Strategy
This book explores the contemporary history, governance, foreign policy, political economy, culture, and society of Kuwait. It highlights the dynamics of the country, putting forward both an overview of each subject covered and new research findings. It begins by providing a historical understanding of state formation and goes on to examine state structure, including the ruling monarchy, state legitimacy, and the creation of the Constitution and the National Assembly. It considers foreign policy, including the tools of diplomacy, the state’s regional and international approach, and the factors that have formed and reformed Kuwait’s strategic policy in the global arena. It assesses the economy, including rentierism, the labour market both for locals and for migrants, the class system, and the process of Kuwaitization; and it discusses Kuwaiti society and national identity, as well as investigates issues of women, civil society, youth, and the Bidoon minority. Overall, the book provides a full and detailed analysis of contemporary Kuwait and of the factors which are bringing about new developments.
Preface and Acknowledgements vii
About the Editors ix
List of Contributors x
List of Figures xiv
List of Tables xv
1 Contemporary Kuwait through the State and Society: An Introduction 1
MAHJOOB ZWEIRI AND SINEM CENGIZ
2 Kuwait’s Political History: From Tribal Sheikhdom to Semi-democratic State 7
ABDULRAHMAN ALEBRAHIM
3 Kuwait: A Political System in Crisis 26
HAMAD H. ALBLOSHI
4 From Grassroots to Public Diplomacy: Diwaniyya as an Alternative Sociopolitical Institution 44
CLEMENS CHAY
5 Kuwait’s Foreign Aid: Motivations and Allocations 69
MOHAMMAD YAGHI
6 Intra-Gulf Dynamics: Pursuit of Survival within the GCC 88
KRISTIAN COATES ULRICHSEN
7 Kuwait’s Relations with the Global Powers: US, Russia, and China 103
GIORGIO CAFIERO
8 Kuwait and the Palestinian Cause: Mutual Search for National Pride 119
MESHARI HAMAD ALRUWAIH
9 Role of Urbanization in Changing Social Norms to Laws: Impact on Status of Kuwaiti Women 138
MUYASSAR H. SULEIMAN
10 Political Economy of Kuwait through the Prism of Its Hydrocarbon Sector 157
NIKOLAY A. KOZHANOV
11 Citizenship, Identity, and Human Rights in Kuwait 176
GHANIM ALNAJJAR
12 Kuwait’s Publication Law: A Civil Act to Protect Freedom of Expression 191
TAHANI ALTERKAIT
13 Culture, Politics, and Citizenship in Kuwait 206
COURTNEY FREER
Index 223
Biography
Mahjoob Zweiri is Professor in Contemporary Politics and History of the Middle East with focus on Iran and the Gulf region, and Director of the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University.
Sinem Cengiz is Researcher in the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University with focus on Gulf politics and society.
