Gender and Sustainable Development in the Gulf Region

In less than three decades, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have transformed themselves from small, oil-rich Gulf monarchies into ¿global cities,¿ ranking among the most highly developed nations in the world, leading innovators in renewable energy, hubs for international art, media, education, and banking, and at the forefront for women¿s empowerment in the Gulf States. Faced with finite natural resources and a young population, the Emirati leadership has laid out ambitious plans to transform the country into a vibrant, modern, multicultural knowledge society that seamlessly integrates religion and cultural traditions with high technology. How is this kind of development sustainable, socially, economically and environmentally? How are the Emirates dealing with the inevitable social and environmental transformations and trade-offs such a success story requires? The objective of this course is to explore how the UAE navigate the complicated dynamics of cultural traditions, social change, the post-2015 development agenda, and geo-political imperatives.