Amidst the growing appeal of religious militancy among local populations, state-led efforts to suppress domestic dissent and maintain ties with Israel could ultimately backfire.

Government efforts to bolster women’s participation in the security sector are in tension with long-standing attitudes related to gender and social status.

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, and in anticipation of a post-oil future, the social contract in the UAE has been undergoing a disquieting metamorphosis.

Measures taken by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to diversify their economies are beginning to undermine pre-existing social contracts that hinge on the paterfamilias figure of the ruler, the tribal care of the state, and the preservation of cultural norms and citizen privileges.