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2 | 2013
Villes et dynamiques urbaines en péninsule Arabique

Cities and Urban Dynamics in the Arabian Peninsula

Popular perceptions of the Cities in  the Arabian peninsula are still extremely loaded with clichés et stereotypes; hence this new special issue of  Arabian Humanities, a collection of cutting-edge pieces that come to complement the fast-expanding field of urban studies in the region. Presenting articles based on in-depth fieldwork, this issue edited by Claire Beaugrand, Amelie Le Renard and Roman Stadnicki goes beyond the common wisdom and explores the diversity of urban spaces and the complexity of urban phenomena in a region where most cities emerged in the aftermath of the first oil boom. The special issue shows that, even in cities that baffle by their excesses, urban projects are being affected by the ups and downs of the global economy. The analysis of medium-sized cities qualifies and enriches the broad picture of urban landscape, while studies of daily experiences show autonomous dynamics and bottom-up resistance to major projects imposed from above. Social realities in the cities, heavily influenced by the diversity of national origins, statuses and  strong hierarchies, are also factors of change in so far as they push policymakers to redefine the ties between the cities’ landscapes and organization, and constantly questioned national identities.

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