In 2010, Mathaf (the Arab Museum of Modern Art) was opened in the Gulf state of Qatar. In his essay, I provide an overview of pan-Arabism in recent decades and looks at what this museum can do to restore a pan-Arab cultural identity that has been neglected and in some cases even vilified for decades. Read more »
Archives for December 2013
In the UAE the only tribe is the Emirati
The UAE’s ethnic make-up includes natives whose ancestors can be traced back here for centuries as well as people who immigrated to the country from across the region. Today, the cultures of these immigrants and natives have amalgamated into what has become the Emirati identity. Over the past four decades being Emirati started to denote far more than a citizenship — it was also a way of life, a sense of common destiny. Read more »