Gulf Politics and Economics in a Changing World

The wave of uprisings that has engulfed the Arab world since 2011 has impacted the Gulf significantly however much the region appears to have remained unscathed. The case of Bahrain, in which the regime cracked down on protestors with the help of Saudi forces, is a notable exception to the fa ade of stability. Due to this violent and thorny situation as well as increasing Gulf tensions with Iran, political chaos in Yemen, and rumblings among unemployed youth throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, the impression of Gulf solidity has waned. Ties with the United States appear to be weakening; regional politics are varied and changing, particularly with the rise of India and China; Gulf governance is often oppressive; and GCC economies are even more tied to rentier practices of distribution to keep populations satisfied and in check. Gulf Politics and Economics in a Changing World addresses these aspects of political and economic life in the GCC, Iran, and Iraq in order to assess the present situation. It also offers analysis and predictions as to what the future of this important area of the greater Middle East may hold. The volume, which features contributions from some of the best scholars in the field of Gulf studies in the United States, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, provides an in-depth and critical look at the region.