The Political Culture of Leadership in the United Arab Emirates

T his book examines the political culture of leadership in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the last two centuries-roughly between 1800 and 2006-as local states evolved from largely egalitarian societies into states with power in the hands of a few ruling families. Although the people of these seven emirates, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharja, Ajman, Um al Qaiwain, Ras al Khaima, and Fujaira, shared a common culture, historically they occupied different niches in the complicated ecosystem of the Gulf, and therefore experienced political and economic pressures in unique ways. As a result, rulers differed in political objectives, even while drawing on similar strategic approaches. Political culture consists of the shared values, norms, expectations, approaches, and conventions that shape political practice, and allow its meanings to be communicated to others of similar view. The approach used here to study political behavior relies on typical techniques of anthropology, personal observation, comparison during the same and different time periods, and holism-a perspective that examines any and all detail that sheds light on the subject matter. The anthropologist's job in this case is to identify the recurrent themes in political leadership and extrapolate back to conceptual frameworks that may have inspired them. The aim is to fill a middle ground in research between one that focuses on global forces shaping history and politics, and one that examines limited groups in restricted time frames. Both kinds of study are valuable, but it is also important to understand the "worldview" that informs the actions of leaders. 1 Two conversations with Emiratis encouraged me to start this task. One was a discussion between an Emirati scholar and members of a delegation from a prestigious U.S. think-tank. The Americans were seeking academic cooperation and funds for a Gulf studies program. After listening to the particulars of the program, most of which involved studies of regional security and strategic oil interests, the Emirati scholar commented wryly, "But your analyses have nothing to do with the way politics work here." No one from the delegation responded, nor was it likely they understood what he meant. The second comment occurred in a discussion with an Emirati professor about the personal networks and connections that underlie Emirati politics. He concluded enthusiastically, "That's the way politics work but nobody writes about it." Clifford Geertz once said that "In attempting to answer grand questions . . . the anthropologist is always inclined to turn toward the concrete, the particular, the microscopic . . . (hoping) to find in the little what eludes us in the large, to stumble upon general truths while sifting through special cases" (1968: 4). This study is no exception. Much of the interpretation is based on personal observation and interviews over the last 40 years, much of it spent in residence in Arab countries. The detailed historical information comes from British Foreign Office records, which lamentably are the main primary source for the period before 1972. There are difficulties in depending on these foreign sources. Most importantly, they are only glimpses of the complex social life that existed at the time and therefore do not provide the fertile data fields anthropologists enjoy when immersing themselves in local societies. More seriously, the view is through the eyes of outsiders who often do not understand local culture as well as they might. Critics have claimed quite rightly, that too much of the history of the UAE relies on foreign sources. This is undeniable, but even these critics recognize that there are few other accessible options. What makes the British records useful is that resident officers tried to record the actions of rulers as accurately as possible even when they themselves were not certain of what it was they were observing. This often forced them to delve into local relationships and motivations in trying to understand unfolding events. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii The Economic and Political Context....Pages 1-14 The Cultural Context....Pages 15-30 Early Leaders of Abu Dhabi....Pages 31-50 Zaid the Great and the Consolidation of Abu Dhabi....Pages 51-70 The Bani Sultan and the Transformation of Abu Dhabi....Pages 71-95 The Maktums (Al Bu Falasa) and the Development of Dubai....Pages 97-122 Sharja and Ras Al Khaima (Rak) During Early Qawasim Rule....Pages 123-138 Sharja and Ras Al Khaima (Rak) Separate Under Qawasim Rule....Pages 139-163 Preserving Ajman Independence Under Al Bu Khuraiban....Pages 165-177 Um Al Qaiwain’s (Uaq) survival Under the Mualla....Pages 179-192 The Sharqiyin and Pursuit of Fujairan Independence....Pages 193-216 The Political Culture of Leadership....Pages 217-236 Back Matter....Pages 237-269 The book describes the impact of cultural perceptions on rulers' behaviors in the United Arab Emirates, once the Trucial States. Despite differences in size, economic resources, and external political pressures, the seven emirates' rulers utilized very similar cultural expectations to gain the support of others. The book describes the impact of cultural perceptions on rulers' behaviors in the United Arab Emirates. Despite differences in size, economic resources, and external political pressures, the seven emirates' rulers utilized very similar cultural expectations to gain the support of others. The author describes what has generally been only touched upon before - the significant but largely A"invisibleA" roles women and marriage play in the political process of tribal societies