Racism, Migration, and Slavery in Contemporary Gulf Literature: States,Families, Others

This book explores racism, migration, and slavery in the Gulf states through their contemporary (post-1975) literature and culture.

At first glance, the cosmopolitan states of the Gulf would seem to be the last place where racism should thrive. Tourism in Dubai and Oman, the Al-Jazeera brand in global journalism, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the region's status as a hub for global investment all bear witness to its status and promise. And yet the reliance of Gulf economies on huge volumes of imported labour has created seemingly ineradicable national, ethnic, and racial hierarchies. Alongside spectacular increases in regional GDP growth and literacy rates we see horrifying increases in discrimination, exploitation, torture, and death among non-citizens.

This book analyses the question of Gulf racisms through works produced by writers based in the region. By listening carefully to the voices of those who have witnessed and struggled against regional racisms first-hand, it sheds light on how such discriminatory practices operate and the systems that keep them in place.