Histories of City and State in the Persian Gulf: Manama since 1800

Cambridge Middle East Studies #30

by Nelida Fuccaro

In this path-breaking and multi-layered account of one of the least explored societies in the Middle East, Nelida Fuccaro examines the political and social life of the Gulf city and its coastline, as exemplified by Manama in Bahrain. Written as an ethnography of space, politics and community, it addresses the changing relationship between urban development, politics and society before and after the discovery of oil. By using a variety of local sources and oral histories, Fuccaro questions the role played by the British Empire and oil in state-making. Instead, she draws attention to urban residents, elites and institutions as active participants in state and nation building. She also examines how the city has continued to provide a source of political, social and sectarian identity since the early nineteenth century, challenging the view that the advent of oil and modernity represented a radical break in the urban past of the region.

Genres: History

276 pages, Hardcover

First published March 9, 2009

About the author

Nelida Fuccaro is professor of modern Middle Eastern history at the New York University Abu Dhabi.

Reviews

[Zaynab Alkhawaja · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't say the book is well written but it does contain within it some very important facts about Bahrains history that i found intriguing. The parts i found most interesting were the ones about the different revolutions and uprisings that took place in the past century. The government controlled media in Bahrain has attacked this book, that in itself should promote it.

One of the realizations i reached reading it, was to what extent some known families in Bahrain supported both the alkhalifas and the british imperialists for personal gain, some of those families remain to this day wealthy and powerful. While many of the villages and their Baharna residents (natives) also inherit much of the oppression, poverty and the reality of being second class citizens.

On a more positive note they also inherit "Shi'ism as an ideology of resistance against state power". Which frankly is many times in Bahrains history the only outlet for the frustrations of the oppressed.

Some parts also reflect imperialist attitudes towards our country, by for example calling our mosques "little better than barns" or describing Bahrainis as "ignorant intellectually dull and naturally stupid". In truth the british government to this day say they are the friends of Bahrain, but in reality they are and always were only the friends of the oppressors in our country, and that definitely does not make them friends to Bahrainis.

My favourite part of the book was bringing an example of how the Baharna in 1932 in an Ashoura play about Imam Hussain, depicted Ibn Zyad dressed in the uniform of a british soldier. Shia Anti imperialism at its best :)

[Sara Razek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book, especially its parts which tackle the anti-sectarian and anti-communitarian strife in twentieth century Bahrain, but overall the book is badly and poorly written. Also indulged the author’s argument about the eventual failure of Nasserist pan-Arabism to take root in Bahrain in the 1950s and 1960s due to its exclusive secular Arab character which did not account for the shi’ component of Bahraini society.

[Mariam · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think Fuccaro is an amazing professor, read this for a class I’m taking with her and I enjoyed it very much!