Citizenship, nationalism and populism. New security dilemmas in the Gulf

This event is organised by Chatham House and the Clingendael institute. You can attend this event by invitation only. You can find further details here.

In response to the 2011 Arab uprisings, economic transitions away from oil rents, and mounting fears over external threats, many of the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have introduced new rhetoric and policies aimed at fostering nationalist and patriotic sentiment in recent years. But what does it mean to be a citizen in the GCC today? What challenges do individuals and states face in this new era where Gulf states go to war abroad and tax their people at home? 

Programme
10:00 - 11:30 - Session 1: The GCC's New Nationalism, chaired by Peter Salisbury (Chatham House)
After resisting nationalist rhetoric in the past, the Gulf Arab monarchies have embraced nationalism in recent years. Why have they done so, what does this new nationalism look like, and what are the challenges and potential pitfalls of fostering national identity?

11:30 - 11:45 - Coffee break

11:45 - 13:15 - Session 2: Being Khaleeji, chaired by Floor El Kamouni-Janssen (the Clingendael Institute)
While outsiders often see the Gulf states as homogenous entities, Khaleeji identity is multifaceted and complex. What does it mean to be a citizen of the Gulf in the 21st Century, and how are identity and perceptions of individual rights changing?

13:15 - 14.00 - Lunch and Close

This discussion is being held under the Chatham House Rule: ‘When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed’.