In the Time of Oil : Piety, Memory, and Social Life in an Omani Town

"Before the discovery of oil in the late 1960s, Oman was one of the poorest countries in the world, with only six kilometers of paved roads and one hospital. By the late 1970s, all that had changed as Oman used its new oil wealth to build a modern infrastructure. In the Time of Oil describes how people in Bahla, an oasis town in the interior of Oman, experienced this dramatic transformation following the discovery of oil, and how they now grapple with the prospect of this resource's future depletion. Focusing on shifting structures of governance and new forms of sociality as well as on the changes brought by mass schooling, piped water, and the fracturing of close ties with East Africa, Mandana Limbert shows how personal memories and local histories produce divergent notions about proper social conduct, piety, and gendered religiosity. With close attention to the subtleties of everyday life and the details of archival documents, poetry, and local histories, Limbert provides a rich historical ethnography of oil development, piety, and social life on the Arabian Peninsula"--Provided by publisher Before the discovery of oil in the late 1960s, Oman was one of the poorest countries in the world, with only six kilometers of paved roads and one hospital. By the late 1970s, all that had changed as Oman used its new oil wealth to build a modern infrastructure. In the Time of Oil describes how people in Bahla, an oasis town in the interior of Oman, experienced this dramatic transformation following the discovery of oil, and how they now grapple with the prospect of this resource's future depletion.

Focusing on shifting structures of governance and new forms of sociality as well as on the changes brought by mass schooling, piped water, and the fracturing of close ties with East Africa, Mandana Limbert shows how personal memories and local histories produce divergent notions about proper social conduct, piety, and gendered religiosity. With close attention to the subtleties of everyday life and the details of archival documents, poetry, and local histories, Limbert provides a rich historical ethnography of oil development, piety, and social life on the Arabian Peninsula.

Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Notes on Names and Transliteration 1. In the Dreamtime of Oil: Wealth and Development in an Anomalous Time 2. Now, the Police Only Drive: Remembering Rule and Disorder in Bahla 3. In the Eye of the Neighbor, There is Fire: Hazards and Histories of Sociality 4. Circles of Knowledge: Religious Learning, Pious Pasts, and Alternative Sociality 5. Senses of Water: Nostalgia, Private Ownership, and Bodily Privacy 6. Becoming Bahlawi: Race, Genealogy, and the Politics of Arabness 7. Perhaps He Has a Son: Succession, Depletion, and the Uncertain Future Notes Bibliography Index In The Dreamtime Of Oil : Wealth And Development In An Anomalous Time -- Now, The Police Only Drive : Remembering Rule And Disorder In Bahla -- In The Eye Of The Neighbor, There Is Fire : Hazards And Histories Of Sociality -- Circles Of Knowledge : Religious Learning, Pious Pasts, And Alternative Sociality -- Senses Of Water : Nostalgia, Private Ownership, And Bodily Privacy -- Becoming Bahlawi : Race, Genealogy, And The Politics Of Arabness -- Perhaps He Has A Son : Succession, Depletion, And The Uncertain Future. Mandana E. Limbert. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This compelling historical ethnography explores how people in Bahla, an oasis town in the interior of Oman, experienced dramatic transformation in their lives following the discovery of oil in the late 1960s, and now grapple with the prospect of this resource's future depletion.