Pearl of Dubai

"Azerbaijan Gets Ready To Go Nuclear"

2008-07-29T13:20:00.002+04:00

The flow of jarring news headlines this week continues, with this surprising and somewhat unsettling story from Eurasianet today. Given the gradual drain of its energy resources (and the already polluted area where the reactors are proposed), I guess the country's pursuit of nuclear energy could make sense. On the other hand, these type of developments generally are more than meets the eye, so it will be a fascinating story to follow.

"Economic Future of Azerbaijan Seems Obscure To Me"

2008-07-28T13:47:00.003+04:00

This is the title of a front-page interview this morning on Today.az, which serves as one of the only English-language web sites for news in Azerbaijan. Basically, the interview with economist Inglab Ahmedov cites his concerns about slowing economic growth and the local economy's over-dependence on the energy sector. It's always surprising to me when interviews like this are published in a forum that generally seems quite tightly controlled.

Azerbaijan in the World

2008-07-26T17:55:00.001+04:00

I wrote an article for the research publication associated with the Academy where I am an intern. It is adapted from one of my Georgetown papers this past spring and is about geopolitics and energy in Azerbaijan. Here is the link to the article.

Travels, Traffic Jams and More Army News

2008-07-22T13:05:00.002+04:00

I finally have a breath of blogging time after a very busy past few weeks. The Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (where I am an intern) hosted a Summer School last week about Islam and Contemporary Foreign Policy. The programming was quite interesting, highlighted by Vali Nasr (from Fletcher/Tufts) and the local sheikh talking about the theme of "Shia Revival" in a recently renovated Baku mosque (used as a carpet shop during Soviet times).

There were various adventures during Summer School, including an off-topic education in the nuances of Baku highways. Returning to town one day we entered a 3 hour traffic jam, and after realizing the indefinite nature of the delay, exited the bus (Mercedes circa 1970) and walked. As the barren landscape dotted with oil derricks and blowing sand and dust coated our eyes and skin, it became clear that the traffic jam was created by a two-direction road being turned into one way, but in both directions. Failing to see the pattern in this, drivers (and the police) only allowed the jam to grow, resulting in what was probably an almost endless mess of a Saturday afternoon.

My father also arrived in Baku last week, spending two days on his own seeing the sights and preparing for the overnight train ride to Tbilisi, Georgia (pictures to follow). The "Dragon Ladies", as my father referred to them, assertively grabbed our passports on the train platform and lead us to our "cabin" where we met our two female Georgian roommates. Departing Baku, a bit of a chill thawed with these newfound roommates and honestly, after the 16 hour trip to Tbilisi even their slight mustasches were mildly charming. Despite the novelty of it all, this was an exhausting trip -- Soviet-era tracks tend to be very bumpy, thus limiting sleep considerably.

Meanwhile, another Azeri I know here just let me know that after a huge farewell party for him last week before he departed for his one-year army service, he also was told he didn't have to serve due to some unclear ailment. So, in the blink of an eye he is off to the Czech Republic for a summer training program about elections and civic institutions. Gosh, if only I could go with the flow like that!

The Army

2008-07-10T14:37:00.002+04:00

Tonight is the farewell dinner for a local friend here who will ship out to the army on Saturday for his one year service. While the location of this mandatory service can be negotiated through family connections and bribes, it seems that the actual service is pretty much a given for every young Azeri male. Yet someone else I met, having just returned from reporting for service earlier in the week, said that he was discharged because he was too skinny (or too short relative to his weight, the language barrier was in full effect). Anyway, I don't really know where I am going with this posting...I am kind of lethargic this week, thus boring blog postings!

Celebrating Military Day

2008-06-27T12:14:00.003+04:00

Yesterday was yet another holiday in Azerbaijan, this one to celebrate Military Day. It was actually a fairly dramatic day with various parades and air shows around Baku. I had a bit of a preview of the parade on Tuesday when after waking from a nap, I looked out my window to see several trucks with what looked like scud missles driving down my street. But this was only the beginning...yesterday featured a full-fledged parade with several army units and different floats showcasing of the latest military equipment purchased by the government with the estimated $2 billion annual military budget (a ten-fold increase from 2003). But the day wasn't only endless pageantry...I made the poor decision of trying to find a laundrymat in the middle of this mayhem and while waiting with my suitcase full of laundry a skirmish broke out between some young kids and police. At first, I thought that the police were just trying to clear the road but suddenly things felt different somehow, with kids running towards me and the police cars weaving in and out of the crowds in a kind of manic way. This continued for a while and then kind of subsided. I asked a few people about it and they shrugged it off as "something that happens in post-Soviet states on holidays." Go figure. Regardless of these episodes or the reception of those who observed the parade, the government had a clear mission here to send a strong signal to Azeris, Armenia and the world alike that Azerbaijan's growing military is very much focused on the simmering Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which remains a deeply sensitive and central aspect to the country's foreign policy.

Brand Azerbaijan III

2008-06-24T14:12:00.002+04:00

For a country that seems to face some challenges with its international reputation, Azerbaijan seems to have mastered the art of employing the domestic media as a tool for bolstering the government's image in the eyes of its own population. As I do have a TV with limited channels in my apartment, I sometimes find myself in a state of quasi-relaxation, staring at the screen, not able to understand a word of Azeri. This can actually be kind of soothing after a long day at work (especially when one of the Turkish soap operas is on) but particularly when various government-produced videos about Azerbaijan show up. Some were directly related to Salvation Day celebrating Heydar Aliyev's return to power in 1993 (picture endless montages of President Aliyev holding children, hosting dignitaries, drilling oil wells etc). Others are more general, featuring well produced shots of newly renovated areas of downtown Baku set to local music, or my favorite which juxtapose older images from the Soviet era with updated ones of independent Azerbaijan. It's interesting how sophisticated the production-values are on many of these videos, when compared to the typical program on TV and makes me wonder where this image-making is emanating from and why it can't be employed more directly in the international sphere?

"I have doubts about a million of tourists visiting Azerbaijan each year"

2008-06-18T16:52:00.007+04:00

This was the title of a rather depressing assessment of Azerbaijan's tourism prospects in the near future published this week. The main source of the problem is pollution in the Caspian, which is reported to be so bad (and so widely known to be bad) that tourism development on its shores is basically out of the question.

But beaches aren't everything...I had a very cultural day today in Baku after a meeting with Dr. Farid Alakbarli, one of Baku's most prominent historians with amazingly nuanced knowledge of Baku's various hidden treasures. We visited the Museum of History together, which ended with a tour of Zeynalabdin Taghiyev's mansion. Taghiyev (headshot above) was one of the most famous oil barons during Baku's first oil boom in the early 20th century and lived in a palazzo that really took my breath away.

Brand Azerbaijan II

2008-06-16T20:43:00.002+04:00

Anyone with a TV in Azerbaijan can sing the lyrics by now to Azerbaijan's Eurovision hit "Day After Day." The 8th place finish for the song was a hit in Azerbaijan and a strong statement for the country abroad given Eurovision's huge viewership. Pop culture, just like anything else, can constitute a country's image in the minds of outsiders so take a listen and judge for yourself...

Flying Carpet Ride

2008-06-16T14:04:00.004+04:00

Azerbaijan is enjoying a day off this Monday, as the country celebrates Heydar Aliyev's 85th brithday. The actual day and associated celebrations were yesterday but offices are closed today to mark the occasion.

This unexpected day off was kind of nice as this was my first real weekend in Baku and I kind of craved some extra time to walk around the city and do some errands. The weekend started with an efficient shopping trip with one of my co-workers to buy some basics for the apartment. In a more severe way than I expected, I have been extremely price-conscious since getting here, not only because I am a poor graduate student but due to the inflation and awful exchange rate one gets in Azerbaijan. Sadly the US dollar only gets you about .81 Manat, compared to 1.25 Manat for the Euro. Strolling through the supermarket brought me face-to-face with further proof of these strains. As perhaps shouldn't be a surprise given grain prices worldwide, I quickly found that branded cereal like Frosted Flakes cost nearly triple what they would at home. It's a sad reflection on my life when cereal becomes a luxury good.

Once home, feeling somewhat battered (and dusty) from the increasing winds throughout the day (I have already mentioned the gusty winds that howl incessently off the Caspian), I was a bit startled when a mid-sized Persian rug came flying through the air, hitting my balcony window before landing on the balcony floor. At first it seemed like a big bird had committed suicide using my window as the poison pill but this was disproved when I went out to find the rug and pieced together the likelihood that it had fallen from the clothes-line in the apartment above me. So this turned out to be a nice excuse to visit my upstairs neighbor, who invited me for a quick tea to thank me for rescuing the rug.

It's been great to have some free time to read, and while the first two books of the summer were related to current affairs (The End of Food and The Audacity of Hope), I have become engrossed in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, which so far has been amazing. It has also served as quite an attraction to locals, and four kids now have come up to me at Internet cafes or outside and commented on the book, showing their approval at my reading this Russian classic.

The Presidential Race

2008-06-13T09:25:00.002+04:00

Besides the approaching Presidential election this fall in Azerbaijan (more on that later), Azerbaijanis have a growing preference for John McCain in the US Presidential contest, according to my very informal polling. The reason for this seems to be an impression that McCain is more sympathetic to Azerbaijan in the conflict with Armenia, while according to many, Obama has sympathies with the Armenians. Supporting Obama as strongly as I do, I often engage people on this subject but thankfully, the Rector of the Organization where I work, Hafiz Pashayev, gave this interview which provides a very accurate and well-balanced assessment of the issue.

Brand Azerbaijan

2008-06-11T13:06:00.002+04:00

For those of you with a desire to get a sense of Azerbaijan, here is your first installment of a self-titled series "Brand Azerbaijan." I assume this video was created by the Tourism and Promotion branch of the government, thus the soothing music and well-produced imagery. I might have added a bit more concrete information and voiceovers to the video had I been its creator as the idea of someone spending six minutes watching images of Azerbaijan seems a bit unrealistic to me.

Roads and Votes

2008-06-10T14:24:00.002+04:00

Having lived in Dubai, the extent of construction in Baku is relatively minor. However, to locals, it is quite extensive and meets with a mixed reaction. In Baku, new developments and restoration to existing, historic buildings appears to brighten up the city in my view, yet I have already heard some complaining of the disruption (and dust) these various projects produce. More strikingly, the roads outside of Baku seem to be mostly under construction, and recent articles have suggested a link between the approaching elections and these various infrastructure projects. Whatever the motives, and despite the occasional objection, it is hard to deny the symbolic weight these projects hold in shaping the public's perception of their government.

The Weekend

2008-06-09T09:10:00.005+04:00

So, after only one week in Baku, I was lucky to be invited on a weekend trip to Lenkoran, a small town on the Caspian south of Baku. The five hour drive from Baku was draining at times as much of the travel was through very industrial, nondescript areas over pot-holded Soviet-made roads alternating with newer, improved ones. Nevertheless, I learned first-hand how many different climates there are in the tiny state of Azerbaijan as these rather mundane landscapes gradually evolved into more fertile ones, and by the time we arrived in Lenkoran, we are ensconced in green mountains, oak tree canopies, and clean, pollution free breezes.

There is surely a different feel to the countryside in Azerbaijan as compared to cosmopolitan Baku. Besides being just 10km from the Iranian border, there was a similar feel to the villages we passed through as I experienced in Iran. Yet the differences were clear as well, as red wine and Russian vodka appeared at dinner. Unable to watch the Roland Garros tennis final on Sunday, I found (along with another intrepid tennis fan in the group) an old, run-down astroturf tennis court associated with the local chapter of the Azerbaijan Olympic Committee. The game was kind of awkward and a bit hot in the blazing sun (the sun in Azerbaijan, much like the wind, seems to take no prisoners) but fun nonetheless.

Some out-takes from the weekend above include our cabins, our bus (which seemed to always be on the verge of a collision or accident of some sort), my attempts at getting arty at dinner, the indoor stadium at the regional Olympic center and the entrance to Lenkoran.

Gazprom

2008-06-05T11:48:00.003+04:00

Azerbaijan appears to be standing strong against Gazprom's apparent efforts to undermine the country's burgeoning gas sector. Recent news that Azerbaijan has rejected Gazprom's offer to buy Azerbaijani natural gas follows the country's refusal to buy natural gas from Russia at increased prices. Of course, the larger chessboard here involves possible Trans-Caspian links to augment Azerbaijan's oil and gas supply through the BTC/BTE pipelines, a project which if successful would lessen Russia's monopoly on gas supply to Europe.

Full Moon Hotel

2008-06-04T14:01:00.002+04:00

Despite the various differences between Baku and Dubai, it seems that the urge to translate oil wealth into extravagant hotel design projects is just too strong to resist. Thus, plans for the Full Moon Hotel in Baku, a 35 floor, 521 foot high behemoth planned for the Caspian waterfront.

Random

2008-06-04T08:55:00.005+04:00

On an unrelated note, I have to just express how excited I am that Barack Obama secured the Democratic nomination last night. I volunteered quite a bit for Obama this past winter and spring and while initially inspired more by his policies and message, I quickly learned what a powerful grassroots political organization he has developed. Also, I wanted to pass along a recommendation of a great book I just finished called The End of Food by Paul Roberts. It is a follow-up of sorts to his first book The End of Oil and is a great background on the current food crisis and ideas on how to address some of the systemic issues underlying the crisis.

Blown Away

2008-06-04T08:28:00.005+04:00

Before talking about some of the exciting experiences I have had so far here, I have to briefly mention the issue of WIND in Baku. Well there are many things to be blown away by in this city, it seems that quite literally, one risks being blown into the Caspian Sea by strong winds that blow off the water into the city. I suppose that the first day I arrived was quite calm, but ever since then there have been stiff winds off the water. Hopefully this is a temporary weather event or I will have to acquire the wind resistance that most other people seem to have already.

Generally speaking, Baku has turned out to be a remarkably easy adjustment. There seems to be a pretty organized and liveable vibe to the city, with just enough hustle and bustle without the annoyances of congestion and excessive traffic. I really lucked out with my accommodation, which is a 1BR apartment right smack in the center of the city. It is nestled on a small side street between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) building and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation building. I am also adjacent to the Old City of Baku, which sounds like a great area to explore.

The general vibe in the city is really nice, it feels like a cross between Istanbul and Tehran both in terms of the city layout and the general look of the people. English is not widely spoken, yet there is a willingness to meet you halfway linguistically that usually resolves any questions or issues. You can feel that the country is prosperous economically, yet in a far more muted way than in Dubai. Old buildings and museums are being restored and some newer ones are being built, but the underlying skeleton, both in terms of urban layout and culture, appears to be quite secure. Although predominantly Shiite Muslim, mosques are few and far between. In fact, I can only recall seeing one mosque and one Orthodox church since being here.

My internship has started off really well. The Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy is a great group of people and already they have included me in various lectures and events. Yesterday, we had the slightly surreal experience of attending the 15th annual Caspian Oil & Gas Fair featuring a variety of obscure engineering innovations for oil drilling in addition to publicity for pipelines which to my knowledge, were not actually being built yet. The highlight of the fair was probably two cheerleader-esque women in tight outfits promoting a drilling company, surrounded by admiring Russian men. Ah, viva Baku!

Summer 2008

2008-05-24T02:06:00.003+04:00

This Pearl of Dubai has been a bit out of the blogosphere lately as my year in Dubai led to graduate school and less time for Pearls and Dubais. However, this summer I will be in Baku, Azerbaijan doing an internship at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. My interest in Azerbaijan perhaps stems from experiences in Dubai -- Azerbaijan is another small, energy-rich country with high strategic value and complex political and social challenges. So, keep visiting for news and photos from what should be a fascinating summer!

Magic Numbers

2008-02-15T01:44:00.004+04:00

Tyler Brule, the founder of Wallpaper Magazine, recently started a new one called Monocle. I wrote a small blurb about Dubai in their current February issue. If I could be a magazine, I would probably be Monocle. Some describe it as "the Economist meets Vanity Fair." Or, current international affairs with a stylish slant. Whatever it is, I love this magazine. Look for it next time at the newsstand.

Dubai Airshow

2007-11-25T19:17:00.001+04:00

Most people have probably seen this already but I loved this photo from the Dubai Airshow.

Dollars and Dihrams

2007-11-25T19:12:00.000+04:00

The dihram peg to a declining dollar raises issues for Dubai, particularly the laborers who see already paltry wages diminishing further in value. A recent OPEC meeting in Saudi Arabia raised the prospect of a gradual lifting of the dollar peg (to follow Kuwait's example) and a diversification of growing reserves from dollars to Euros. While the big picture debate centers around OPEC and whether the cartel will shift to Euros, there are still big ramifications on the ground of the weak dollar, and many link recent worker protests in Dubai to this issue.

Guess the Skyline 5

2007-09-05T01:45:00.001+04:00

Ajman Bluebeard

2007-09-04T22:12:00.001+04:00

Hats off to Secret Dubai for, among many other things, including such a hilarious commentary on her blog about Daad Mohammed Murad. It made me miss being in Dubai and absorbing these totally off the wall stories you read in the press. I can only imagine how the press coverage of Daad's quest differed from Secret Dubai's.

Dubai Sub-Prime

2007-09-04T22:03:00.001+04:00

In another example of the growing influence of the Dubai government in global finance, the government-held group Istithmar announced plans Monday to possibly buy two US firms hard-hit by exposure to subprime mortgages. With predictable bravado, Istithmar CIO Felix Herlihy stated that "For every loser there is a winner and some institutions may have to sell some good assets, because of bad assets hit by sub-prime." In the world of finance, it somehow seems that Dubai is always the winner...

NYT Migration Series

2007-08-06T18:26:00.000+04:00

The New York Times focuses on the UAE in the second installment of its ongoing series about global migration. The slant of the article is about reforms in the UAE and the success of the UAE laborers in gaining limited rights such as better work schedules and upgraded accomodations and services. It is hard to tell how broad many of the "reforms" mentioned in the article actually are; they seem more like isolated incidents responding to specific cases of delinquency among labor agencies or rare protests by workers. Also, there isn't much discussion of how the UAE will address illegal recruiters.

Demographics

2007-07-11T19:46:00.000+04:00

Among the many fascinating aspects of the UAE is the demographic situation. Already the UAE has one of the lowest percentages of citizens of any country in the world. This trend will only continue as foreign immigration persists to support the UAE's economic growth and Emirati birth rates decline.

The low number of citizens in the UAE begs the question: how does government service a primarily non-citizen population? What is the role of public and private actors in areas like education and health care? And how do leaders balance their responsibilities to their citizen and expatriate constituences?

As I am working on an article on this topic, I would love to hear input on this subject. I would appreciate articles or data, examples of other countries in simliar situations or simply personal perspectives on the topic from Emiratis or expatriates living in the UAE.

Investments

2007-07-09T18:56:00.000+04:00

A recent article in the New York Times spotlights the business fortunes of Emirates Airline. The main thrust of the piece is a celebration of the airline's success and profitability in the generally lackluster category of aviation. In discussing how Emirates is the largest purchaser of the new Airbus 380, the author inserts a curious fact:

"Dubai’s ruling family further cemented its ties to Airbus with the announcement Thursday that it was investing $836 million to take a 3.12 percent stake in EADS, the parent of Airbus."

As the holdings of the various investment arms of Dubai government continue to flourish abroad, it will be interesting to track how Dubai government asserts influence as a shareholder, especially in cases like Airbus where another Dubai government entity (ie. Emirates) is such a large and important customer.

e-Governance

2007-06-22T20:05:00.001+04:00

Dubai e-government seems to be evolving to a new level with the current blogosphere buzz about the SALIK road toll system. Much like the beach controversy a few months ago where online activism against the proposed development of a public beach in Jumeirah precipitated a reversal of plans by Sheikh Mohammed, the SALIK discussion again illustrates the unique and modern potentials of the Dubai government model as it interacts with digital technology and the burgeoning local blogosphere. Yet with SALIK, much of the infrastructure for the toll system has already been rolled out and much of the discussion and debate appears to be coming too late to actually affect policy.

Full Circle

2007-06-14T01:04:00.000+04:00

The feeling of coming full circle in a life experience always facilitates introspection for me. Having lived in a foreign place for an extended period of time, it's hard in a way to synthesize one's feelings about the period of time coming to an end. Perhaps a lack of perspective is to blame for this -- being so close to it, it's hard to absorb what "it" really is until you gain some distance.

In some ways I feel like a character on the ABC drama "Lost." Dubai has been a unreachable island of sorts for me, exisiting in its own time and space and operating according to a reality unlike nowehere else in the world I have visited. Much like Lost, Dubai leaves you conflicted as to how badly you want to be rescued and return home. Your initial certainty about wanting out slowly subsides as you adapt to the alternative reality that is Dubai.

So what makes Dubai "stick" for people besides the obvious ($$)? For me, it sticks because it is just so hard to figure out. After living here for almost a year, I could never really explain Dubai to someone who had never been here. Much like Lost, Dubai maintains its viewership by never revealing a linear storyline. For all of the discipline demonstrated by various government plans and pronouncements, living in Dubai brings you face to face with how totally incongruous life here actually is.

My sadness about leaving my friends here is accompanied by a less familiar sadness of leaving a place that will literally, never be the same place again. Unlike most cities in the world, Dubai won't be recognizable to me the next time I come here. Most of the endless construction and confusion surrounding it will likely have coalesced into an actual city by then. And while that Dubai will probably be a lot more manageable to live in, I suppose it might not be quite as fascinating...

Dubai Inc. Article

2007-06-13T11:41:00.000+04:00

My latest article was published this month by the Carnegie Endowment. The article is titled "Dubai Inc: Development and Governance" by Jeremy Tamanini. It looks at the relationship between the Dubai government and economic growth in the emirate. Click here for the article.

Arab Media Society

2007-06-09T11:25:00.000+04:00

A relatively candid article by Time Out writer Dana El-Baltaji discusses her experience with journalism in Dubai. She discusses the relationship between the local press and Dubai branding, in addition to the subtle and not so subtle ways that news and information about Dubai is regulated.

Dallas Austin Revisited

2007-06-07T10:17:00.001+04:00

The Bollywood version of the Dallas Austin drug scandal from last year is beginning to unfold. The latest news is that Indian DJ Aqeel has tested negative for Ecstacy, despite traces of the drug being found in his luggage while passing through Dubai International Airport.

Kuwait Beach Party

2007-05-26T00:09:00.000+04:00

Despite its reputation for not being the most exciting place on earth, Kuwait and the Pearl of Dubai had a meeting this weekend that proved there is a lot more to the country than sand and oil. Beautiful weather, perfect water temps, great music and food converged with over 100 party-goers at this wonderful spot south of Kuwait city. Thank you to Dari and my hosts for including me in the festivities.

Competitive Advantage

2007-05-21T16:25:00.000+04:00

In his book "The Competitive Advantage of Nations," Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter argues that a nation's competitiveness is determined by how productively it uses its human, capital and natural resources. A review of many of Dubai's business plans over the past two decades reveals how prominently Porter's work has figured into the Dubai growth model. The most direct linkage between Porter and Dubai appears to be the notion of clustering, whereby complementary industries operate in close proximity to one another, fostering higher productivity and attracting other similar businesses to settle. The Dubai "free zone" strategy is the local example of clustering, with Dubai's inherent natural resource advantage being exploited to enable these tax-free environments.

Porter's views on the relationship between government and the private sector, however, may not be reflected quite so vividly in Dubai. While Porter's writing tends to favor a "collaborative" relationship between government and the nation's institutions representing its human, capital and natural resources, the Dubai model tends to place government at the helm of these institutions. Click here for a custom report by Porter about the United Arab Emirates.

Saskia Sassen

2007-05-17T13:13:00.000+04:00

The writings of Saskia Sassen have had a tremendous influence on me, and in many ways underlie the idea of place branding and certainly have huge relevance to the city of Dubai. Sassen is best known for her 1991 book "The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo" which looks at the effect of globalization on the organization of urban economic activity and the changing role of the state in structuring it. Place and its relationship to business in the global city also figures prominently in much of Sassen's work. The 2002 anthology edited by Sassen titled "Global Networks, Linked Cities" elaborates on much of the theory behind her earlier writings through various essays about different global cities. Ali Parsa and Ramin Keivani from South Bank University in London contribute their essay titled "The Hormuz Corridor: Building a Cross-Border Region Between Iran and the UAE" and flesh out many of Sassen's theories in looking at Dubai's economic activity in the context of this Hormuz Corridor.

Dubai Creative Class

2007-05-12T23:59:00.000+04:00

Continuing the discussion on Pearl of Dubai about academic perspectives on the project of place branding in Dubai, I wanted to discuss the notion of urban creative classes as described by sociologist Richard Florida. Florida's book "The Rise of the Creative Class" considers people, rather than corporations, as the central building blocks of urban growth. While traditional studies have emphasized the factors driving firms to locate in one city over another, Florida focuses instead on what attracts people to settle in cities, and specifically what drives 'creative' people inclined to foster innovation and economic development, to cluster in certain places over others.

Florida argues that in America, creative people (a somewhat broad and vague label I would say) are human capital requirements for growth and that this sector of the population, numbering around 30% of the US workforce, tend to settle in "innovative, diverse, tolerant" places. While Florida's conception of this creative class can basically be understood as those who work in knowledge-based occupations, his thesis is that attracting this creative class is an imperative for US cities; those American cities with higher concentrations of this class also have higher growth rates, and higher levels of innovation, diversity, and tolerance.

In a place like Dubai, there is no shortage of workers given the current supply of jobs and economic opportunity. According to Florida's model, one would have to question how successful Dubai will be in the long-term at attracting this creative class to work in Dubai's growing knowledge industries like high-tech, financial services, legal, health care and business management? Will this class of workers feel satisfied by Dubai's level of innovation, diversity and tolerance? Or will other cities win out in this competition for the global creative class? It's too early to tell, but not too early to consider the current state of knowledge-based industries in Dubai as an indicator for what the future may hold.

Click here for Ms. Wikipedia's synopsis of this topic.

Post Urbanism

2007-05-08T19:27:00.000+04:00

Mike Davis, a prominent US urban studies scholar best know for his book City of Quartz about Los Angeles, published a racy and thought-provoking piece about Dubai last fall in the New Left Review.

Titled "Fear and Money in Dubai", Davis' article is impressive in its anecdotes about the city and hip pop cultural references. Yet unlike his books, especially Ecology of Fear, Davis appears like a fish out of water when discussing Dubai and leaves readers pondering if the fear he defines as an underpinning to Dubai's financial success is in fact, his own grappling with a fear of how a post-urban, Middle Eastern city like Dubai could actually succeed.

Ironically, most of the slights Davis applies to Dubai originate from his own backyard, in Los Angeles, California. While seemingly shocked at the excesses of the "petrodollar" in Dubai, he fails to really explore the reality that he and his LA neighbors subsidize this with their own vehicular excesses. Davis' writing conveys an uneasiness around Dubai projects like Dubailand and gated residential communities, even though again, these models are derived from his own backyard in Southern California. And while he rightly sympathizes with the plight of unskilled, South Asian laborers in Dubai, he fails to acknowledge that all cities are built and sustained by imported labor of some kind; one would be hard-pressed to imagine LA functioning without the presence of cheap Mexican labor.

Ultimately, Davis' perspective resides in a larger critique of post-urbanism, understood as cities that "create appetities rather than solve problems." Yet a deeper analysis of Dubai, below the surface mirage that blinded Davis, reveals that Dubai does both, creating appetites for tourists who wouldn't have otherwise considered visiting the Middle East and solving problems for skilled and unskilled workers who due to political strife or a general lack of economic opportunity in their home countries, come to Dubai for a better life. Had Davis dug deeper beyond the predominantly Western media sources he references and the glitzy image which distorts anyone's vision of Dubai, he would perhaps find more comfort from his own fear of money in Dubai.

Dubai Development

2007-05-06T09:09:00.000+04:00

In a city like Dubai, often referred to as "development on steroids," it's interesting to consider the structure and growth of the city in the context of trends in development studies. Amartya Sen's book "Development As Freedom" considers freedom as both the means and the ends of development and in the process reconfigures the notion that rising GDP and national income are the sole indicators of successful development.

While Sen's analysis is too complex and nuanced to summarize here (he did when a Nobel Prize after all), one aspect of his book related to "Lee's thesis" deserves to be highlighted in reference to Dubai. This thesis, named after Lee Kuan Yew, the former prime minister of Singapore, argues that rapidly adopting political and civic liberties in developing countries risks hampering economic growth and development. Sen disagrees with this claim, arguing that Lee's perspective is too narrow (mostly derived from his experience in Singapore and perhaps considering China and South Korea's experience) and doesn't hold up when broadened to a more global study.

The Dubai case is a compelling one for Sen to consider against Lee's thesis and his overall theory of development as freedom. This is partly because of Dubai's youth and the fact that Dubai's story has yet to be studied extensively. But Dubai is also interesting because it contains variables which aren't addressed much by Sen's study. Dubai's majority expatriate population, Islamic heritage and pre-existing oil wealth are three very distinct factors which I believe would complicate Sen's analysis. As the majority of Dubai workers lack citizenship and the presence of oil revenues limits the need of the state to tax its population, the Dubai model injects a new set of variables into this important discussion.

Academic Overview

2007-05-04T15:25:00.000+04:00

In part due to the positive response I had to features on upcoming Dubai projects, I have decided to dedicate the next week or so on Pearl of Dubai to exploring different academic angles on the topic of place branding. As some of you know, my research here is about the branding of Dubai and how these efforts in marketing and public relations have furthered the economic development of the city. While place branding is a somewhat undefined field in both academia and the private sector, it is gaining relevance in today's globalized environment and relates to various compelling areas of scholarship in the academic world. Hopefully this will be interesting to people and of course, please feel free to contribute comments throughout the week of writers or perspectives I may have missed.

Labour TV

2007-05-04T15:17:00.000+04:00

I have argued in various forums this year that a more pro-active approach to labour issues in the UAE is needed to counter rising international criticism of the plight of the UAE workers and the resulting damage to the image of Dubai internationally. With the announcement today of the impending launch of a TV channel focused exclusively on labour issues in the UAE, it appears that the Ministry of Labour is stepping forward on this issue in a more public way. Broadcast in English, Arabic and Urdu, the new channel will "adopt a proactive approach, will spread awareness about the ministry's rule and regulations and provide information on how the labour market operates."

Atlantis

2007-04-30T16:27:00.000+04:00

The Jumeirah Atlantis will rise at the end of the Palm Jumeirah, serving as the "crowning jewel" of the new Palm. In addition to the news a few weeks ago that the steel trusses between the two Atlantis towers had been installed came rumors that the suite built inside this area connecting the two buildings will cost hotel guests around $1 million for a single night. Yet another example of Dubai's willingness to invest in things with dubious ROI as a strategy for generating buzz.

Girls

2007-04-29T21:38:00.000+04:00

I came home to my apartment building tonight and sensed an unfamiliar energy in the air. Upon entering the lobby and passing my Nepalese doormen, I figured out what it was: three smiling Nepalese women were hanging out on the stoop chatting it up with them! A mood that is consistently somber in a life that I assume lacks in female companionship for them had been replaced with a "mixer" atmosphere. Smiles overflowed and laughter filled the air -- you can be sure that none of them even noticed when I passed by. Which begs the question: in a city like Dubai where the male to female ratio is so skewed, primarily because of male workers like my doormen, what would happen to the state of Dubai laborers if suddenly the option for female companionship and socializing existed?

Guess the Skyline 4

2007-04-29T10:24:00.000+04:00

Emirates Media Freedom

2007-04-15T12:00:00.000+04:00

Yesterday I attended a conference organized by students at Zayed University titled "Emirates Media Freedom." The purpose of the conference was to discuss the current state of the UAE media and its future. The conference was quite impressive and reflected very well on the students who organized it.

The panelists were mostly Emiratis and included journalists, media executives and educators. The discussion was lively and quite heated at times. As the entire conference was in Arabic, English-speakers relied on an audio translator which I am sure skewed a bit the substance of the conversation. Despite being on a Saturday, the conference was well-attended and most attendees stayed for the entire day.

I thought the perspectives on "press freedom" were fascinating. My perception was that there was an overall uneasiness around censorship. Many speakers cited the rise of Web 2.0 and other forms of self-expression as evidence that the Internet cannot successfully be censored in the long-term. This sentiment, however, did not imply that there was a total openness to embrace new media. Rather, the responsibility for censorship appeared to fall on the individual and his or her family. The idea of a "moral ceiling" recurred quite a bit, with regards to conveying to one's children boundaries with media consumption and for journalists, ensuring that certain barriers aren't crossed in researching and writing stories.

The general consensus appeared to be that media was 'free' in the UAE, assuming that one accepted the 'moral ceiling' previously mentioned. Three elements were emphasized as existing outside the realm of acceptable journalism in the UAE: Disrespect for religion or its prophets, pornography, and the intent to foster the formation of political parties. One speaker was more specific about the idea of internal criticism, claiming that the UAE media was not free because outlets lacked the ability to be critical. Government criticism, while not explicitly stated, seemed to be included in the list of no no's.

In all honesty, the conference made my head spin quite a bit as I had a hard time following all of the logic behind the various speaker's arguments. That said, it revealed very important perspectives on the notion of a free press, most of which are at odds with critics of the UAE media, who often come from outside the UAE and aren't UAE nationals. I think these learnings are important:

1. Cultural values always supercede media-generated ones. External media must be monitored to ensure that UAE youth are "protected" and given an appropriate media compass to navigate with.

2. Government responsibility is development of its people, economically and socially. Citizen criticism should be communicated directly to government, not through media channels.

3. Arabic-language press is censored differently from English-language, and generally Arabic-press faces greater limits.

4. External criticism in the press is tolerated. There was no discussion of why external governments are so consistently criticized in the UAE media.

5. Self-censorship is valued, but general censorship is not. The same individual who spoke of developing self-imposed media boundaries (especially for children) was responsible for bringing MTV to the UAE.

My Research Presentation

2007-04-11T14:10:00.000+04:00

I wanted to let my readers know that I will be presenting my research from this past year next Thursday April 19th at noon at Zayed University's Dubai Campus in Academic City. The title of my presentation is BRAND DUBAI: Marketing and PR as a Strategy for Economic Development and it is open to the public. If you are interested in attending, please email me at pearlofdubai@gmail.com and I will send you more information. Please note that you must email me if you plan on attending as I will have to make sure to leave your names with Zayed security. Look forward to meeting next Thursday.

Dubai Lounge

2007-04-10T17:56:00.000+04:00

Inquiring minds want to know: why are the clubs so awful in Dubai? It seems that if one is just the slightest bit discerning in one's tastes, you are bound to be disappointed by the throbbing techno beats and drunk Brits and Lebanese you find at the typical Dubai club establishment. Here's a novel idea: how about opening an Ibiza-style lounge with a chill deep house vibe and NO ALCOHOL. It seems one of the main obstacles to Dubai's club scene growing is the assumption that a club or lounge can't be successful without serving drinks. Why not?

UAE Competition

2007-04-10T17:45:00.000+04:00

Al Jazeera online reports the findings from the lastest World Economic Forum report on "Arab Competitiveness". The UAE ranks #1 as the most competitive economy among Arab nations in the 3rd (most advanced) stage of development.

Al Mahara

2007-04-05T10:34:00.000+04:00

A great video from our recent dinner at the Burj Al Arab's Al Mahara fish restaurant. Even though the virtual submarine was undergoing repairs, the oversized aquarium and unexpected desserts provided ample entertainment. Click here for the video on YouTube.

April Thoughts

2007-04-05T09:37:00.000+04:00

Some thought-provoking news today with regards to Dubai and the Gulf region in general. First is the New York Times article claiming Israeli objections to the US sale of advanced weaponry to the Gulf states, most notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This objection comes in the wake of the IDEX-2007 expo in Abu Dhabi last month which generated significant buzz around an arms build-up in the Gulf as an eventual replacement for US protection, a deterrent against Iran, or both.
Gulf News reports the release of the Berlin-based Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index which ranks the UAE #1 among the Arab states in fighting corruption and achieving government transparency. The article does not place the UAE's score relative to the rest of the non-Arab countries polled so it is hard to see how the UAE stacks up in the grand scheme of things.
Lastly, interesting discussion around the economic and social development in the UAE. At a gathering honoring the winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan pointed to the low number of books ematating from the Arab world as compared to the Americas and Caribbean. In unrelated news, the Dubai Economic Council announced plans to conduct surveys on development in the emirate as part of the recently announced Dubai Strategic Plan. My personal opinion is that culture production is manifest through a variety of sources, not only books. I would point to the UAE blogosphere, the scale and success of various UAE development projects and the large amount of international press about the country as evidence of how at least in the UAE, culture production in a broader sense is alive and well.

Bluetooth

2007-04-02T15:15:00.000+04:00

For those of you with Bluetooth enabled mobile phones in the UAE, here is an intriguing tip: Next time you are in a Dubai mall or other public place, scan on your Bluetooth for other similar phones in your area. You will be surprised by what you uncover...

Guess the Skyline 3

2007-04-02T15:10:00.000+04:00

Safety Warning

2007-04-01T21:56:00.000+04:00

I took my friends Alex and Joyce out towards Hatta in search of an exciting UAE quadbiking adventure. Unfortunately, we had more than an adventure when an over-zealous Pearl of Dubai popped off a deceptively high dune and got thrown from his bike, which then flipped over and landed a few feet away. While the episode only resulted in a few nasty bruises and a crack in my Armani sunglasses, it should serve as a safety warning to other prospective, beginner quadbikers: proceed at your own risk!

Dubai Sports City

2007-03-27T18:39:00.000+04:00

Dubai Sports City will house massive stadiums, Ernie Els’ first golf course design in the Middle East and various sports academies like a Manchester United Soccer School facility. The mini-city will rise near Emirates Road on 50 million square feet of land within the Dubailand development. Like many developments in Dubai, Sports City will also mix commercial and residential buildings with the sport-oriented ones.

Tennis Review

2007-03-26T17:59:00.000+04:00

Some friends visiting me this week found an old review of a tennis match I played in the glove-compartment of my car. It was pretty funny and slightly depressing, here it is...

1. Serve
Needs higher percentage of first and more power. WORK.

2. Ground strokes
High forehand problem. Bend knees on low ball. Needs to figure out slice, short ball. Lost lots of points on shorter ball. Has to get there quicker. Slower ball hurting him. SLICE AN ISSUE TO DEAL WITH.

3. Volleys
We need to work on that. He had an opportunity to make easy volley but did not. Lost three.

GENERAL COMMENTS
Love the way he battles. Limited in stroke production, but maximises what he has and fights hard. MORE CHALLENGED THAN PREVIOUS MATCH.

Culture Village

2007-03-24T19:26:00.000+04:00

Dubai Culture Village, being built on the shores of the Creek near Garhoud will mix "old world pleasures and entertainment with a modern, sophisticated ambiance". The $50 billion dhs project spread over 40 million square feet will feature wide open spaces, traditional wind towers, cobble stone walkways, unique sculptures, waterways topped with bridges, creekside souks, restaurants and cafes, an amphitheatre for live performances and cultural festivals, an exhibition hall and museums, and a dockyard where traditional dhow building will be on display. It will offer an inspired mix of Arabic and old Dubai architecture. Murals, sculptures and pottery will adorn the facades of buildings and street corners.

Hydropolis Underwater Hotel

2007-03-23T08:58:00.000+04:00

This new hotel, billed as the first underwater luxury hotel in the world, will submerge off the coast of Jumeirah and should be complete in one year or so. The hotel will feature a land station, connecting tunnel and underwater submarine resort with 220 suites. Joachim Hauser, the project architect, explains his inspiration for the project:

"We want to create the first ever faculty for marine architecture because I believe that the future lies in the sea, including the future of city planning. I am certain that one day a whole city will be built in the sea. Our aim is to lay the first mosaic by colonising the sea."

Click here for more details.

Bawadi

2007-03-20T08:48:00.000+04:00

I was blown away by the 3-D rendering of the planned Bawadi Project. Set to rise in Dubailand right near Emirates Road, this zone is slated to be the largest concentration of hotels in the world. The development will occupy 139 million square feet in Dubailand and house a cluster of 31 hotels and space for up to 100 theaters producing live shows. While comparisons in design to the Vegas strip make sense here, seeing the model makes one realize the unbelievable scale of the project, in addition to how innovative the project architects have been.

World Central Airport

2007-03-20T08:38:00.000+04:00

As its name suggests, the new Dubai World Central Airport will dwarf all other world airports in size and handling capability. 140 square kilometers of land and six parallel runways will accomodate up to 120 million passsengers and 12 tons or cargo per year. To give a sense of comparision, those handling statistics are equal to London's Heathrow and Chicago's O'Hare Airport combined. In addition to the airport, the zone will have extensive residential, business and tourism facilities, creating a mini-city of up to 750,000 inhabitants. The first runway is scheduled for completion by the end of 2008 and the entire development should be done around 2020.

Dubai Sun Tower

2007-03-19T09:21:00.000+04:00

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the new developments on the horizon for Dubai. As a result, I am taking the next few weeks to focus on the future architecture of Dubai. Some of the most interesting projects, if you can believe it, haven't even been completed yet!
Today's feature is the Sun Tower, designed by US-based architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The building is planned for the Dubai Waterfront and makes energy efficiency a "top priority for the design" in order to deal with the huge amount of sunlight and heat the building will absorb.

Academics in Dubai

2007-03-15T16:13:00.000+04:00

Gulf News reports today on the increasing amount of academic research focused on the "Dubai model." Most of the projects referenced appear to deal with the question of Dubai's sustainability in the context of traditional models of development. Click here for the article.

Incredible !ndia

2007-03-14T12:31:00.000+04:00

I have been in India for a few days with my sister, who continues her trip around the world. There is such a strong presence of Indians in Dubai that it seems important to come here to better understand this important part of the Dubai population.
Words can't really describe India. The world's largest democracy, home to over 1 billion inhabitants and about to cross the threshold of a $1 trillion annual GDP, India remains poor and from what we have seen, quite undeveloped. More than anywhere I have visited, India defies expectations about human behavior, living habits, and even animals. People often speak about how scary driving can be in developing countries. In India, drivers rely on the "brake, horn and voice" to negotiate almost everything. Traffic never flows in the same direction; cars frequently use the side or middle lanes of oncoming traffic to arrive at their desired destination.
Animals occupy a unrivaled position of authority on the roads and in households. Cows can be compared to domesticated dogs, lounging in front yards the way a golden retriever might do in suburban America. Animals also constitute about 50% of street traffic, with cows and camels pulling wagons and donkeys resting on median strips. While the incessant beeping from the more modern vehicular elements might aim to overwhelm these more primitive ones, their lack of response and clear comfort on busy roads confirms that animals continue to rule.
Despite the feeling of tension between the old and new, India is clearly on the rise. TV and media in general mirror most aspects of the Western ones: an obsession with celebrity (Liz Hurley's wedding is front page news), engagement with local and international politics, non-stop cricket updates and the constant ticker symbols from the Indian stock exchange. Modern and growing, India seems just too big for growth to occur uniformly or according to any logic that one could easily summarize. And sadly, the poverty here is so extreme and widespread, it feels almost forever removed from the economic growth taking place in other parts of society.
Really, it's Incredible !ndia!!

Wild Wadi

2007-03-04T18:58:00.000+04:00

Today was the long awaited meeting of the Pearl of Dubai with Wild Wadi, a huge waterpark in Dubai. My sister's visit gave me the perfect excuse to indulge in the slides and rapids of this Dubai attraction. Highly recommended to anyone who hasn't been yet.

Dubai Reading List 2

2007-02-25T01:30:00.000+04:00

To add to my first reading list, just thought I would post an update with the latest books I have read:

Istanbul by Orhan Pamuk
Al-Jazeera by Hugh Miles
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
A Century in Thirty Years: Shaykh Zayed and the UAE Edited by Joseph A. Kechichian
What is the What by Dave Eggers
Oil Monarchies by E. Gregory Gause
The Wink of the Mona Lisa by Mohammad Al Murr
Brand New Justice by Simon Anholt
Marketing Places by Philip Kotler, Donald Haider, Irving Rein
Father of Dubai by Graeme Wilson
The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
Gandhi, His Life and Message for the World by Louis Fischer

Shopping Festival

2007-02-23T11:34:00.000+04:00

The New York Times published an interesting recap of the recent Idex military trade fair this past week in Abu Dhabi. Unlike the Shopping Festival in Dubai, this fair had a more serious tone as many Gulf leaders have openly advertised their "shopping spree for new weapons." This openness of course is part of the larger conflict between the West and Iran, which places the Gulf states in a delicate spot diplomatically and from a security point of view.

Pearla of The World

2007-02-22T11:03:00.000+04:00

In an unrelated plug, my wonderful sister has justed started a trip around the world. For news of her travels, she has a blog as well called Un Mundo Entero. Have fun Vanessa!

Pulled over...

2007-02-21T22:51:00.000+04:00

I had my first encounter with the Dubai traffic police tonight. They flagged me down after I made a fairly abrupt lane change without indicating. There were two officers, and the first one approached my car, uttered some things in Arabic, and I handed him my license and registration. Then, he summoned me to the police car where I met the second officer, a very friendly guy who shook my hand and smiled. He asked if I knew what "mistake" I made, and I explained my suspicion about the rapid lane change. Interestingly, he didn't agree or disagree with this, but rather seemed concerned that I knew how to get home and offered directions on how I should best proceed. We then smiled, shook hands again, and parted ways.

Hotel Star Systems

2007-02-18T21:04:00.000+04:00

The Burj al Arab does a good job at marketing itself as a 'Seven star' hotel. However fabulous this may sound, one begins to doubt the meaning of this designation when noting the number of stars other hotels in the city have. Maybe it's just me, but oftentimes I find myself leaving a hotel restaurant and looking at a 5-star ranking on the front plaque of the entrance. This often occurs at hotels that would never get such a rank in other countries. My good friend Wikipedia chimes in on the topic, describing the system for ranking hotels and pointing out that in some countries an official body exists with presumably independent ranking criteria.

Island Update

2007-02-18T12:07:00.000+04:00

My friend Chad alerted me to recent photos from Nasa of the various offshore islands being constructed here in Dubai. I was surprised by how far along The World is. It seems that only the South Pacific Australia region is yet to be filled in by sand.

Creative Majlis

2007-02-15T13:06:00.000+04:00

Based in Dubai, Creative Majlis is an organization of creative professionals pooling their talents towards community projects around the world. This Saturday February 17th, the group will host an event in Dubai.

Gulf Marketing Review

2007-02-11T18:20:00.000+04:00

An article I wrote appears in the February 2007 edition of Gulf Marketing Review. The subject is the challenges facing the brand Dubai and strategies for confronting them. I am not sure if the article will be posted online but the print version is for sale this month all around the Gulf. The article is titled "In National Defence" by Jeremy Tamanini.

Quoted in Qatar

2007-02-10T12:51:00.000+04:00

Some thoughts and quotes from Qatar:

'The difference between Qatar and Kuwait is that in Kuwait, the government is conservative but the population is liberal while in Qatar, the opposite is true'

Don't be fooled by guidebook descriptions of Palm Island. The sandbar you see with one tree on it really is Palm Island.

Look carefully at the racial composition of the working class in Doha. It differs quite a bit from Dubai.

Qatari guys take fashion to the next level, forming unique shapes and patterns with their head scarves.

Don't miss a 4WD trip to the Inland Sea.

Take the AlJazeera roundabout a few times and note how such a small news building manages to make such a splash around the world.

Dubai Strategic Plan

2007-02-04T13:46:00.000+04:00

Sheikh Mohammad announces the Dubai Strategic Plan, setting forth general development goals and guidelines through the year 2015. While the release contains some specific numbers related to GDP growth and job creation, it contains mostly broad statements related to economic and social development.

Gulf Cup

2007-02-04T13:36:00.000+04:00

I read an article somewhere that a correlation exists between local stock market movement and soccer victories and defeats of local teams. The victory parade in Dubai on Friday celebrating the UAE victory in the Gulf Cup may have confirmed a theory along these lines. Somehow my car ended up at the beginning of the parade formed by four cars hoisting a UAE flag from their car roofs. It was exciting to see Sheikh Zayed Road transformed into a huge local celebration of Emiratis making us all realize for a moment the native nationalism in the UAE.

Dubai Metro

2007-02-01T09:51:00.000+04:00

Dubai drivers anxiously await the Dubai Metro, due to launch in September 2009. The main red line will connect Deira with Jebel Ali and feature Japanese-made train cars with a "water and air theme." Three classes of service will exist including a luxury Golden Class fitted with leather seats and advanced audiovisual devices.

Making Moves: Abu Dhabi

2007-02-01T09:16:00.000+04:00

Speaking of intra-emirate competition, news of proposed designs for an Abu Dhabi cultural district sends shockwaves through the press. Architects including Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Jean Nouvel and Tadao Ando have submitted plans for museums and cultural centers. I believe you can see the models on display at the Emirates Palace Hotel. Another example of how exciting the risk-taking can be here with development projects.

Emiratisation Distorted

2007-01-30T11:46:00.000+04:00

An article today casts a negative shadow on the process of Emiratisation here in the UAE. The slant of the article appears to be that Emiratis working for international banks in the UAE feel discriminated against, mostly because they don't reach more senior positions within the organization. Yet the journalist and many of those interviewed appear to be confusing "Emiratisation" with a mandate to structure working conditions in international banks to mirror those in national ones. The main complaints from those interviewed have to do with the longer working hours and less vacation time offered by international banks. This logic appears to imply that "Emiratisation" mandates that non-national organizations adhere to the hours and vacation schedules of national ones rather than simply setting quotas on the percentage of the workforce which is Emirati.

Billboard Translation

2007-01-29T21:17:00.000+04:00

This is a billboard for the Burj Dubai. Not sure though what is meant by "old town" and "downtown" Dubai. Do those places exist?

Making Moves: Qatar

2007-01-29T20:59:00.000+04:00

Living here you sense the underlying competition between different emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai compete over tourists and development projects. Bahrain and Dubai compete to be the financial capital of the Gulf. Qatar and Dubai compete over the creativity of their (sometime outlandish) development schemes. With Qatar, I usually end up feeling sort of sorry for them, as if somehow they just never beat Dubai to the punch. But this time they have. News of a 35km "cooled" biking path to be constructed in Qatar. And it will even be solar-powered. Bravo.

6AM

2007-01-27T20:33:00.000+04:00

I woke up really early today to go watch the Australian Open tennis final on TV. Driving to Garhoud, the streets seemed different somehow. Then I realized: most of the traffic was shuttle buses filled with workers. I always wonder during the day why I don't see more of these buses on the highways considering the huge number of workers needing transport. It was really incredible watching the day start for Dubai's laborers; crowds of them were pouring into International City where I live. Finally, it gave a visual record of the huge operation these workers are part of as somehow in the daylight it isn't quite as visible to me.

Place Branding

2007-01-22T12:51:00.000+04:00

The January 2007 issue of Travel & Leisure has a good article about place branding and the trend within countries to position themselves as "brands" to attract tourism and development capital. Malcolm Allan of Placebrands, a UK consultancy focused exclusively on place branding consulting, comments on their work in Ecuador.

Running the City

2007-01-21T23:52:00.000+04:00

Sometimes one has to wonder if Indians do everything in this city. Today at the Indian Consulate in Dubai I was a bit confused by the large number of Indians in the Visa section with me. Soon I realized by looking at the photos on their application forms that in fact they were applying for visas for Emiratis and other expats. Someone has to keep things moving!

Guess the Skyline 2

2007-01-20T13:22:00.000+04:00

Another round of guess the city skyline, or in this case, just guess the city. Clue: the gun visual is timely.

Land Dispute

2007-01-20T13:10:00.000+04:00

This article in 7Days struck close to home because I play tennis at the Dubai Country Club. As I have written about before, the land use around the club has fascinated me since I arrived. The Country Club and Rugby stadium are surrounded by the most dramatic trucking village I have seen in Dubai. Rows and rows of trucks coupled with mini-villages established to provide accomodation and services to their drivers surround the clubs. While the article implies rumors of plans by the Dubai Municipality to demolish the clubs to build a polo club, what isn't speculated on is the fate of these trucking communities.

Traffic Laws

2007-01-19T13:02:00.000+04:00

Call me delusional, but doesn't it seem that Dubai driving has gotten a little bit less scary in 2007? I used to see at least one huge accident per day and dodge speeding SUVs in the left lane but sense that the roads have calmed down a bit. Maybe this is all in my head, but could the publicity surrounding the recent traffic laws actually be influencing the way people drive?

Dubai Branding Part 2

2007-01-16T12:52:00.000+04:00

I agree with the sentiment behind this piece in Gulf News about the next phase of Dubai branding. There is so much to communicate about this city beyond tourism, I wish that some of the new projects got more play time in the international press. Many of the comments are based upon a book called "The Revenge of Brand X" by Rob Frankel.

POMED

2007-01-16T12:49:00.000+04:00

The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) is an organization dedicated to the growth of democracy in the Middle East and ways that US foreign policy can support that process. I wrote an article for their January newsletter about the FNC elections in the UAE last month. Click here to read the article. It is titled "FNC Elections in the UAE and the Strategy of Emiratization" by Jeremy Tamanini.

The Coming Year

2007-01-15T18:16:00.000+04:00

One can't help but feel a bit unsettled right now living across the Gulf from Iran. After all, the beginning of the New Year has brought nothing but hints of an impending war with Iran. Like all conflicts, clues of a confrontation emerge slowly but consistently, partly to gauge public opinion around different war strategies and partly to get the public used to the reality of what is about to happen. The signs seem to be everywhere...from the appointment of Admiral Fallon, a sailor in the US navy, as CentCom's new commandor and the parallel dispatch of additional Navy battle carrier groups to the Gulf; an Iraq strategy which adds more troops to Baghdad and greater focus on alleged Iranian arming of Iraqi Shia militias; reports of Israeli flight tests and scary-sounding tactical nuclear "bunker-busting" weapons.
On an academic level, the prospect of a new conflict in the region must be considered as well. From my own vantage point, I wonder what effect, if any, military conflict in Iran would have on the pace of development in Dubai? Geographically, there are many issues to consider, most notably the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the tip of the Arabian peninsula, where much of the region's exported oil passes through. Socially, there exists the question of the large Iranian population in Dubai and their ability to travel freely between Iran and the UAE. Politically one wonders the extent to which Dubai would be drawn into the conflict on a diplomatic level, despite the emirate's inclination towards political neutrality, at least in the public sphere.
I surely don't have a crystal ball and have no real idea what will end up happening with this issue as the year progresses. That said, the prospect of some sort of confrontation begs the questions I have been thinking about this week as ultimately they impact greatly the destiny of research in the Gulf right now.

Carpetbagger

2007-01-15T18:10:00.000+04:00

I liked this piece by David Carr from the New York Times. Carr is an entertainment journalist for the Times and has a blog.

Memories of Max

2007-01-11T21:35:00.000+04:00

Most of my close friends have been subjected to at least one drunken conversation about Max, the one-eyed pony I rode as a child. My American grandmother raised New Forest ponies on her farm in Massachusetts and Max, due to an unfortunate episode with a crabapple becoming lodged in his right eye, had only one eye. Max was sweet and a perfect pony for me, but being at the Dubai Jumping Championships today at the Equestrian Club reminded me of the many things Max wasn't. These horses were absolutely beautiful. Totally muscular and agile, with perfect grooming and temperaments. Their riders, hailing from many of the UAE's most prominent families in addition to various princes and sheikhs from other Gulf countries, were equally impressive and really talented riders. The event runs through Friday, January 12th and you can buy tickets there.

Dubai Duty Free Tennis

2007-01-09T12:52:00.000+04:00

News today that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadel have confirmed their participation in the Dubai Duty Free Men's Tournament next month. The women's tournament takes place from February 19th-24th and then men's tournament from February 26th through March 3rd. Click here for details on the tournament and ticket sales.

Louvre in Abu Dhabi

2007-01-09T12:32:00.000+04:00

The French seem to be up in arms about a plan to export the Louvre museum brand to Abu Dhabi. In an article in Le Monde, three of France's leading art historians asked "If we care about preserving and displaying our heritage, by what principle should we be using works of art as currency of exchange?"

Dirty Car

2007-01-08T18:00:00.000+04:00

I just returned for a few days out of the country and learned the hard way the social price one must pay for having a dirty, sandy car in Dubai. My unwashed car (covered in sand) was the victim of various taunts and criticisms, all written on the car with a finger in the dirt. "U need a wash" "No Dirty Car in Dubai" Needless to say, I went straight to the carwash!

Thoughts for 2007

2007-01-03T19:03:00.000+04:00

I felt a lack of clear New Year's resolutions this year. But last night I started thinking more about them. My friend Kate and I were on an old 1970s Soviet-built train from Istanbul to Sofia, Bulgaria. It was a blast from the past, reminiscent of how the Orient Express may have felt. Despite the lackluster sleeping car and frequent bangs on the door to wake up and trek outside with our passports to get stamped, there was something refreshing about going backwards in time a bit. Experiencing travel from a more basic vantage point. And having the luxury of a little bit of extra time to get from one city to the next and take in what was in between, rather than simply fly from one major city to the next. Anyway, this groggy late-night thinking got me focused on igniting similar experiences this year, slowing down when one can to process travel or every day life through a slower, more authentic lens. Of course, Dubai living and its obsession with modernity isn't exactly conducive to this, but hey, the first weeks of the year are all about idealism.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T11:24:00.000+04:00

Pearl of Dubai wishes a Merry Christmas to my readers, friends, and family. Christmas Eve in Dubai was spent at church, if you can believe it. Driving down a dusty Jebel Ali road unsure of where we were going, we followed a stream of Indians to an unexpected cluster of churches. The first service at St. Francis of Assisi was filled with Indian Catholics. The second midnight service at Christ's Church was mostly Brits. I have never been very involved with organized religion, but it was a pleasure to participate in the spirit of the night and share Christmas Eve with such a representative cross-section of the Dubai population.

iPod Tower

2006-12-23T12:47:00.000+04:00

No, this isn't referring to the iPod speaker tower. Plans have been announced for a tower in Dubai's Business Bay to mimic the shape and design on Apple's iPod.

Sudden City

2006-12-20T15:49:00.000+04:00

The January 2007 issue of National Geographic published a very accurate piece on Dubai. This is probably the most balanced and truthful magazine report on the current state of the city I have ever read. Click here for the article abstract and photography.

Dubai Reading List

2006-12-19T19:56:00.000+04:00

This Peace Corps Volunteer named Aaron must have a good friend at Google because he got his blog mentioned on the Blogger log-in to update blogs. His blog is cool and gave me the idea to post the books I have read this fall. No particular reason for this, just thought people might be interested:

The Road to Hell by Michael Maren
My Life and Travels by Wilfred Thesiger
The United Arab Emirates by Christopher Davidson
Orientalism by Edward Said
Hamas: A Beginners Guide by Khaled Hroub
Respected Sir by Naguib Mahfouz
From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates by Frauke Heard-Bey
Dubai by Robin Moore
After Jihad by Noah Feldman
Saturday by Ian McEwan
In The Rose Garden of the Martyrs by Christopher de Bellaigue
Contending Visions of the Middle East by Zachary Lockman
Global Networks, Linked Cities by Saskia Sassen

Burnt Out

2006-12-19T19:06:00.000+04:00

I am so burnt out from Dubai this week. It's been one of those weeks where I've been locked at home trying to finish up various writing I need to do before the holidays. For some reason the weather has made me really uneasy this week too. I had finally gotten used to sun and dry warmth everyday but December hasn't been like that. It has been really moist and kind of unsettled with squall-like moments coming in from the Gulf. At night, you can hear a moderate wind whistling through the buildings. I also made the mistake of starting to read Michael Maren's "The Road to Hell." It's a great book all about the failings of development aid in Africa and while very interesting, has generally contributed to me feeling kind of burnt out by everything. Thankfully, seven days and counting until Istanbul!

Outsourcing Censorship

2006-12-18T14:33:00.000+04:00

Interesting Opinion piece in 7Days today about the possibility of the US adopting UAE censorship practices to address some of its current social issues related to Internet use. The comments to this article are fascinating.