Clemens Chay

Research Fellow, Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore

Clemens Chay is a research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute, where he heads the Diffusion of Ideas-Gulf research cluster. His research focuses on the history and politics of the Gulf states, with a particular emphasis on Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. Prior to joining MEI, he was the Al-Sabah fellow at Durham University, where he taught and completed his PhD.

His most recent academic publications include a chapter that examines Kuwait’s parliamentary politics in The Routledge Handbook of Persian Gulf Politics (2020) and the Journal of Arabian Studies article “The Diwaniyya Tradition in Modern Kuwait: An Interlinked Space and Practice.” His commentaries also feature across different outlets, including ISPI, the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, and the Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum. Chay is currently working on a book project related to Kuwait’s diwaniyas.

Climate Commitments: Less Reason for the Arab Region to Cop Out?

On March 29, AGSIW and the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute co-hosted a panel discussion examining the Arab region's positions on climate change.

Transitioning to Non-Oil Economies in the Gulf: Successes, Failures, and the Path Forward

On July 27, AGSIW and the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute hosted a discussion on economic diversification efforts in the Gulf Arab states.

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Optimism for Oman: Economic Recovery With Caveats

There is renewed buoyancy for the Omani economy as rallied oil prices are expected to ease the execution of plans, big and small. Yet, public trust in government plans still falls short.