Corporatising Tribalism: Understanding the Development and Advancement of the United Arab Emirates

This thesis examines the development of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from its pearling past to its current standing as a global leader in the sport, aviation and tourism sectors. As this thesis shows, the UAE’s sheikdoms have diversi⸀猀ed their oil revenues into these three sectors to ensure the country’s sustainability in the post-oil era. Despite these developments, and the establishment of a political federation in 1971, the thesis contends that the major determinant of the UAE’s economic growth has been tribal rivalries. Consequently, the emergence of the sectors has been fuelled by competition between the UAE’s sheikdoms.