The Making of Contemporary Kuwait

Identity, Politics, and its Survival Strategy
1. Auflage 2024
ISBN: 978-1-032-56381-7
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 246 Seiten, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 540 g

Reihe: Durham Modern Middle East and Islamic World Series

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.

Zielgruppe

Academic

Autoren/Hrsg.

Zweiri, Mahjoob

Cengiz, Sinem

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Mentalitäts- und Sozialgeschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Studien zu einzelnen Ländern und Gebieten
• Sozialwissenschaften Ethnologie | Volkskunde Volkskunde
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziologie Allgemein Empirische Sozialforschung, Statistik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

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

Über Autor(innen)

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.