Desert Kingdoms to Global Powers: The Rise of the Arab Gulf

by Rory Miller

Overview

An expert in Arab Gulf politics offers a revealing analysis of the region’s stunning rise to global power and the challenges it confronts today.

Once just sleepy desert sheikdoms, the Arab Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait now exert unprecedented influence on international affairs—the result of their almost unimaginable riches in oil and gas. In this accessible study, Gulf politics expert Rory Miller examines the achievements of these countries since the 1973 global oil crisis. He also investigates how the shrewd Arab Gulf rulers who have overcome crisis after crisis meet the unpredictable future.
 
The Arab Gulf region has become a global hub for travel, tourism, sports, culture, trade, and finance. But can the autocratic regimes maintain stability at home and influence abroad as they deal with the demands of social and democratic reform? Miller considers an array of factors—Islamism, terrorism, the Arab Spring, volatile oil prices, global power dynamics, and others—to assess the region’s future possibilities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300222166
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	08/11/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	294,438
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Rory Miller is professor of government at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He advises various governmental and private organizations on issues relating to Gulf security and socioeconomic development. He lives in Qatar.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements viii

Map x

Introduction: Paradise Found 1

1 Over a Barrel 19

2 Neighbourhood Watch 46

3 Tax Americana 74

4 Thy Brother's Keeper 103

5 Bloc Party 130

6 Sheikh Down 160

7 Self-Defence 189

8 Oil Change 217

9 Divided We Stand 245

10 The Hub 274

Conclusion: (In) Capacitated 302

Notes 311

Bibliography 333

Illustration Credits 339

Index 340

Editorial Reviews

'Rory Miller's readable and scholarly book, Desert Kingdoms to Global Powers, is a must-read for specialists and general readers. Today we take the key roles of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and others for granted. Miller has shown us, in his most accessible style, how these countries went from being some of the poorest places in the world to the wealthiest, with influence that was unimaginable just a few decades ago.'—Ambassador John Limbert, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iran

'Rory Miller's timely book, Desert Kingdoms to Global Powers, enriches our knowledge and broadens our understanding of the unprecedented rise of the Arab Gulf States in world economics and politics. The book is immensely useful for academics, specialists, students and general readers about how these once neglected desert kingdoms have started to assume a global role and leadership.'—Abdullah Baabood, director of the Gulf Studies Program, Qatar University

'Amidst decades of rapid development and the onset of conflicts across the Middle East, the Arab Gulf states – despite their relative size –  have become hugely influential actors on the world stage, albeit rife with internal contradictions, and caught between tradition and modernity. The struggle to resolve these tensions is a prominent theme across this impressive tome. Miller expertly guides the reader across the treacherous terrain of Gulf politics, bringing the subject matter to life by offering a rich and vibrant discussion of the region. His first-hand experience in the Gulf provides an important yet highly accessible analysis of an increasingly important region. This is an excellent book that captures the vivacious nature of Gulf politics, ultimately leaving the reader eager for more.'—Simon Mabon, author of Saudi Arabia and Iran: Power and Rivalry in the Middle East

'Rory Miller puts collective enterprise and individual achievement at the heart of an integrated perspective on the Gulf states which weaves together complex strands of oil, leadership and geopolitics. This factually rich and up-to-date account reveals how each state has pursued its own type of modernity, state security and social stability since the heyday of the nationalization of oil production, and illuminates the ways in which the American security guarantee, post-colonial sovereignty issues and the persistence of illiberal regimes have also shaped diplomatic strategies and policy adaptations. As China and Russia raise their stakes in the region, the Gulf States once again face challenges to policy autonomy in the face of rising pressures. Desert Kingdoms to Global Powers delivers the key to understanding the renewed importance of the region today and in the coming years.'—Dr Kun-Chin Lin, Director, Centre for Rising Powers, University of Cambridge

From the Publisher

Rory Miller’s accessible and thoughtful history is an important addition to the expanding literature on the Gulf. Miller traces the evolution of the Gulf order from one that was once dominated by Britain to one in which small states make large claims… To fully understand where this alliance goes from here, Miller’s important book should prove an indispensable guide.”—Survival

Survival