Social Change in the Gulf Region

This open access book, comprising thirty-nine chapters divided into social, cultural, economic, and political spheres, offers a unique opportunity to dive into the complex, dynamic, and sometimes contradictory transformation of Gulf societies in the last few decades. Whilst the Gulf region has at times been seen as impervious to this natural phenomenon of transformation—timeless, never changing, deeply rooted in its ancient tribal customs and traditions and able to blend past and present seamlessly without suffering the wrenching trauma of change—this is clearly not the case, and the region is not immune to the inevitable forces of social change. There is no doubt today that the social change sweeping the Gulf has been profound, affecting almost every aspect of life in the Gulf societies. This volume has an encyclopedic value as the chapters collectively offer multifaceted and multidisciplinary perspectives to understand social change inthe Gulf region. Through these chapters, the role of economic and educational transformation, and the impact of social media, migration, and urbanization have in driving social change in the Gulf societies is examined in detail with a focus on their directions, magnitudes, and relevant policy options. It also considers how COVID-19 is affecting the lives of the people in the Gulf. This book bridges gaps in the understanding of the rapid pace of social change in the Gulf, offering practical solutions for policy interventions. It is of interest to scholars and students in Middle Eastern studies, specifically, as well as sociology, media studies, migration studies, and educational policy.

Md. Mizanur Rahman is a sociologist by training, working on labor migration, migration control policy, immigrant entrepreneurship (economic sociology of Gulf migration), migration and development, migrant remittances, immigrant integration, and other related fields of migration with a focus on the Gulf states and Asian countries. His research sites are interregional, embracing the Gulf countries and Southeast and South Asian countries. He holds a doctoral degree in Sociology from the National University of Singapore (NUS), for which he was supported by the prestigious NUS Research Scholar Award. He was also awarded a (U.S.) Social Science Research Council (SSRC) Fellowship during his Ph.D. candidature. As a researcher, he has consistently endeavored to conduct cutting-edge research in his field and to publish findings in international peer-reviewed journals. In addition to his research, he has served as a reviewer for articles, book proposals, and research funding proposals. He is a member of Editorial Review Board of Migration Letters, Migration and Development, Remittance Review, South Asian Journal of Global Business Research, and International Journal of South Asian Studies. He is the series editor of Gulf Studies book series by Springer Nature. He was also a member of Migration Research Leaders Syndicate for the 2018 Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, formed and spearheaded by the International Organization for Migration (IOM)—the UN Migration Agency—based in Geneva. 

Amr Al Azm was educated in the UK, at University College, London, and graduated with a doctoral degree in 1991. He was the founder and director of the Scientific and Conservation Laboratories at the General Department of Antiquities and Museums (1999–2004) and taught at the University of Damascus until 2006. Currently, he is the program coordinator for the Gulf Studies Program at Qatar University where he teaches research methodology and women and gender issues in the Gulf. He is also a tenured professor of Middle East History and anthropology at Shawnee State University in Ohio. 

He is a keen follower and commentator on current events in Syria and the Middle East in general and has written articles in numerous journals and major media outlets including guest editorials for the New York Times, Time Magazine, Foreign Policy, and Foreign Affairs.

Furthermore, he is a founder and board member on The Day After project (TDA) and currently coordinates the Heritage Protection Initiative (TDA-HPI) for cultural heritage protection at the TDA. He is also a co-director of the Antiquities Trafficking and Heritage Anthropology Research (ATHAR) Project.