Led by Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates has become deeply embedded in the contemporary system of international power, politics, and policymaking.
AGSIW was pleased to host a panel discussion with Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, author of The United Arab Emirates: Power, Politics and Policy-Making. AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young served as discussant and Senior Resident Scholar Hussein Ibish moderated the panel.
Led by Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates has become deeply embedded in the contemporary system of international power, politics, and policymaking. Only an independent state since 1971, the seven emirates that constitute the UAE represent not only the most successful Arab federal experiment but also the most durable. However, the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath underscored the continuing imbalance between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the five northern emirates. Meanwhile, the post-2011 security crackdown revealed the acute sensitivity of officials in Abu Dhabi to social inequalities and economic disparities across the federation.
In The United Arab Emirates: Power, Politics and Policy-Making, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen charts the various processes of state formation and political and economic development that have enabled the UAE to emerge as a significant regional power and major player in the post-Arab Spring reordering of Middle East and North African politics, as well as the closest partner of the United States in military and security affairs in the region.
Panelists:
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Baker Institute Fellow for the Middle East, Rice University
Karen E. Young, Senior Resident Scholar, AGSIW
Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar, AGSIW (Moderator)
The Chinese solar industry is strategically expanding into Gulf markets, leveraging the region’s immense solar potential while navigating the risks associated with intense competition and harsh environmental conditions.
As new trade routes are emerging in Eurasia, Gulf states are increasingly looking to the transit and investment potential of the South Caucasus, particularly Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The sharp decline in oil prices raises difficult questions for OPEC+ and, if sustained, will have important implications for Saudi Arabia’s fiscal policy.
Through its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.
Learn More
