Contemporary Gulf Studies – serie

This book examines the deeper meaning of the advent of the Al Jazeera Media Network with regard to ongoing debates on global communication ethics, not only in the global public sphere but also in terms of its influence on new non-Western approaches to media ethics.

This book discusses the various critical dimensions of the Qatar Crisis as a development that has fundamentally reshaped the nature of regional integration for the near future.

The book analyzes recent changes to the identities and cultures of the GCC countries.

The book deals with President Hassan Rouhani’s conceptual approach to foreign policy.

The book deals with President Hassan Rouhani’s conceptual approach to foreign policy.

This book provides a comprehensive assessment of the various dimensions of the relationship between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, and highlights how relations are yet to reach their full potential.

This book discusses how tensions and unknowns may impact future relations between a post-Brexit UK, the EU and the countries of the Gulf, including Iran.

This book discusses how tensions and unknowns may impact future relations between a post-Brexit UK, the EU and the countries of the Gulf, including Iran.

The book provides a comprehensive analysis of the emergence, political economy and foreign relations of Japan’s relations with the Middle East, with an emphasis on its relations with the states in the Gulf Region.

The book provides a comprehensive analysis of the emergence, political economy and foreign relations of Japan’s relations with the Middle East, with an emphasis on its relations with the states in the Gulf Region.

This book offers a new perspective about the Gulf Arab states entering a post-oil era by looking at the political factors behind the green transformation. It discusses the recent ‘environmental enthusiasm’ in the oil- and gas-rich Gulf monarchies by asking how political power can be constituted through advocating environmental sustainability. While hydrocarbon-wealthy Gulf monarchies have been viewed as the globe’s ‘hydrocarbon powerhouse’ with an immense ecological footprint, efforts towards sustainability and environmental protection measures are increasingly monitored.  Climate Change, environmental, degradation and the global pressure towards a low-carbon development are threatening the very basis of economic and political power of the oil- and gas-exporting Gulf monarchies. So far, discussions about this fundamental transformation have barely elaborated how it affects and reorganizes political power games in the region. This book attempts to overcome thedominant focus of techno economic drivers of change and uncovers how environmental sustainability impacts state-society and state-elite relationships as well as shaping regional and even global geopolitics.

This book examines and conceptualises the determinants of threat perceptions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and contributes to a better understanding of how a nation’s self-conception shapes its perceptions of (in)security and emphasises the relevance of these dynamics for policymaking. It combines the societal approach of the English School of IR with securitization theory to offer a novel framework for analyzing threat perceptions. This book is relevant to students of Middle Eastern studies, gulf studies, international relations, and scholars who are interested in theoretical perspectives.

This book explores how small states can wield significant influence in international relations through strategic diplomacy and smart power. It challenges the traditional perception of small states as passive or powerless, offering a compelling case for their agency in global affairs. The chapters examine how Qatar combines mediation, alliance-building, and selective deterrence to navigate complex geopolitical landscapes. Drawing on real-world cases, including Qatar’s role in international negotiations and conflict resolution, it demonstrates how small states can shape regional and global outcomes. It critically engages with dominant international relations theories, highlights the limitations of Eurocentric narratives, and offers an alternative lens for understanding global power dynamics. This accessible and timely study is essential reading for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in foreign policy, Gulf politics, or small-state diplomacy. It reveals how smart power strategies redefine the possibilities available to smaller nations in today’s multipolar world.