An Insider's View on Globalization in the Gulf

Abstract EN

the countries of the gulf have shared a culture rich in the spoken word, rituals, and the knowledge needed to survive in a austere environment.

There was rarely sufficient wealth to create significant indigenous material culture.

Material affluence only came to the gulf countries during the last four decades with the explosion of mineral wealth.

This almost overnight reversal of fortunes enabled the local societies to undertake wide plethora of material developments, originating in India or at least via India, the oil age opened the gulf to truly global cultural influence .

however, globalization goes beyond the selective adaptation of outside influences.

The article concentrates on the impact of this phenomenon on three manifestation of cultural change: education, religion , and the law.