Description
Book SynopsisExploring everything from fantasy architecture to neo-tribal sports and from Emirati dress codes to neo-Bedouin poetry contests, this title explodes the idea that the tribal is primitive and argues instead that it is an elite, exclusive, racist, and modern instrument for branding nations and shaping Gulf citizenship and identity.
Trade Review"Cooke is at her best scrutinising how the Gulf projects this tribal modern brand in its heritage industry." Financial Times "Cooke's eclectic depiction of the reinvention of tribal identity makes use of the Arabic term barzakh, which she defines as the meeting -- but not commingling -- of two distinct elements, to capture the chemistry between tribal heritage and modernity." Foreign Affairs "Fascinating ... Her deft interweaving of examples from film, art, literature and architecture to reinforce her conceptual ideas helps to build a diverse and thought-provoking set of arguments... The book is surprisingly accessible and a fairly quick read." PopMatters
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Uneasy Cosmopolitanism a. A Millennial Crossroad b. Cities of Salt c. Contamination 2. Pure Blood and the New Nation a. The British b. Nationalizing Tribes c. Tribal Marriages d. DNA and Money 3. The Idea of the Tribe a. Invention of Tribes b. Tribal Classes 4. The Brand a. Invention of Traditions b. Thinking through the Barzakh 5. Building the Brand a. National Museums b. Vernacular Architecture c. Nationalizing Vernacular Architecture 6. Heritage Engineering a. Modernizing Differently b. Heritage Sports c. Pearl Diving d. Orientalist Art as Tribal History e. The Heart of Doha 7. Performing the Nation a. Tribal Dress in Gulf History b. The Million's Poet c. Neo-Bedouin Language 8. Gendering the Tribal Modern a. Uneasy Cosmopolitanism Again b. Pathologizing the Gender Barzakh c. Women Writing in the Barzakh d. The Terrible Cold Conclusion Acknowledgments Bibliography
