Veiled Women of the Middle East

Although I have traveled to the UAE before and have developed a profound respect and form of childish admiration for the veiled women of the Middle East, throughout our trip, an issue that many of us kept in mind, particularly, us female students, is the role of women and the so-called oppression of women in the area.

A Western perspective is to write-off the abaya practices of the Middle East as oppressive and backwards thinking. But this ethnocentric view is an uneducated one, as it fails to recognize that the choice to wear the black veil is a personal choice made between a woman and her religion; the operative word being choice.

Additionally, as discussed with the COO of Sheikh Khalifa Medical Centre, who is an American woman herself, the mistreatment of women is an international phenomenon; it is no more apparent in the Middle East as it is in the rest of the world. As sad as it is, there are abusive relationships the world over, whether it is in Abu Dhabi or New York City. And, as a matter of fact, Islamic religion preaches a great respect for women – as every woman is said to be somebody’s mother or somebody’s sister. Therefore, women in the UAE are neither oppressed nor are they battered. Rather, they are enjoying prosperous career as well as social opportunities and freedoms.

Incredible growth rate… maybe a little rushed?

We had the opportunity to witness several events that rarely occur in Dubai especially in the lapse of a couple days. A sand storm followed by torrential rains (just a half hour) in the same day was pretty exceptional for the area. Prof. Moore described earlier the surprising effects of the deluge resulting in the inundation of the world’s biggest mall, great disturbance of traffic etc. In addition, during our stay the world’s biggest aquarium leaked and the world’s tallest tower’s elevators jammed. Oh and those are only a few of the world’s biggest, tallest, most expensive things they have there.

When I look at this, a question comes to my mind: how reliable is this exponential growth? They are investing, building, creating so fast; so eager to get to the top; I feel like they’re skipping a lot of steps. Instead of taking things easy, developing slowly but surely, they are hasting forwards. They can’t learn and build from past mistakes and when they realize their errors it’s too late and consequences can be disastrous. I mean good luck regaining the confidence of Louis Vuitton or Channel who just opened in the Dubai Mall and the first occupants of Burj Khalifa or completely rebuilding the sewage system for it to be capable of holding these rare but existent downpours.

What about the rest: education, healthcare, infrastructure, business administration…?

Lessons learnt!

Is the search for authenticity problematic?

Over the course of this voyage, we have often discussed the question of the Emirates’ claim to authenticity (see posts below). When visiting the Abu Dhabi mosque, some of us felt like the place was lacking history, or perhaps a sense of heritage or tradition. In contrast, the Heritage village in Dubai, with its “traditional” camel rides, henna making and camel burgers tasting, was very popular among the group. Personally, upon arrival in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, I felt overwhelmed by the rising buildings, the racing highways, and the incredible pace the city seems to be evolving at. With such intense pressures for development and urbanization (the economic growth has to range in the double digits in order to match the fast population growth) how can the UAE remain “true” to its values and culture?

Edwin Longsden Long (1829-1891), The Date Seller

I would like to argue that claiming that the UAE lacks authenticity comes down to saying that the Emirates haven’t fulfilled our touristic Western desires. We yearn for a foreign place that remains “traditional”, or at least conform to the representation that we have of it. Arguably, this representation stems from the popular imagery of the colonial world (think: Lawrence of Arabia), and the “high art” representations of the Middle East and of Asia.

Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904). Left: The Snake Charmer.

Right: The Arab and His Steed.

This relates to the theory of orientalism of Edward Saïd, one of the most renowned postcolonial philosopher and thinker. According to him, the Western world constructed during and after colonization a fantasy-like representation of the Middle East and Asia as places of exoticism, romanticism and foreignness. I believe that these representations still endure. In a way, are we not disappointed by the modern aspect of the Abu Dhabi mosque because it doesn’t meet our standards for exoticism? Do we not have an image of the Middle East, with camels and souks in which the traveler can wander for hours, that we look forward to consolidating with the reality? Arguably, we, as white Europeans and North Americans, would like the regions we visit as tourists to be available for exploration, to offer a change of scenery and a certain wildness.

Giulio Rosati (1858-1917), The Carpet Merchant

Perhaps this is the reason why I have been so fascinated by Syria. Cities like Damascus or Aleppo really lead to that sense of disorientation that I seek when I travel abroad. Since the country has been relatively closed, in terms of trade and politics, to the outside – crossing the border is a lengthy process that can be nerve-wracking for Americans that wait for their passports to be approved –, I felt like it was really “authentic” and traditional.

However, I realize now that these expectations are problematic, in the sense that they narrow the Middle East to a single representation that was constructed from the outside, and from a Western perspective. I am convinced that the UAE have remained true to their core values and traditions (see Tala’s post below). The values of hospitality and openness to the world that prevail in the Arab culture are well present. The merchant traditions of the Emirates – the Bedouin population that inhabited the region before 1971 concentrated on the trade of pearls – live through the business-oriented mindset of the region. And lastly, Islam is at the center of the laws and organization of the Emirates.

I am certainly not arguing that this is the universal vision of the Middle East, but I think that we need to keep in mind that the way we consider the region is rooted in the past interactions between the Western world and the Middle East.

Response to Tala's and Karah's posts on authenticity

Dubai kind of makes me think of the early days of New York City. I feel like it is just reborn, Dubai now has nothing to do with what it was at the creation of the United Arab Emirates. It's building its own identity right now.

It seems that people wondering about Dubai's authenticity are looking for the wrong things in the wrong places. Yes there still exists the ancient Emirati culture, but that isn't the culture, the identity of Dubai as a whole. As mentioned before they only represent 8% of the population of city. If you are looking for the authentic Arab culture, you have to go into an Emirate's house, live their lifestyle -- still very different from any other. The rest of the population are all expats from all over the world each still living like they used to back home. While the Emirati (still wearing the traditional clothes) will go camping in the desert over the weekend to spend quality time with the family (still strongly valued in their culture), the European will go sailing around The World (inside joke: The World Islands recently built off the Dubai coast). I cannot comment about South Asian traditions as I do not know much about them, but each population brings along its culture.

The identity of Dubai as a whole is of a growing city made up of the amalgamation of many cultures. You cannot ask for the authenticity of a newborn city, only of its subparts.

I feel like Dubai is not an Arab city, it's a melting pot.

Dubai 's Authenticity still lives on

A highly contested question during the trip revolved around the question of Dubai’s authenticity. There is no doubt that the industrial and consumerist breeze has hit the once unknown city in the south-east Arabian Peninsula, but is it really all that bad? and what does authenticity mean anyway?
A look back at our history shows a similar, albeit slower, change in the structure of our economic landscape. I am referring to our industrial phases or often referred to as revolutions. They are termed revolutions for a reason and it is because the change we underwent during these eras are not just one dimensional, but are multi faceted. Undoubtedly, the revolution manifested change in the underlying fabrics of our society and culture. We were now exposed to a different environment and for the most of us, day to day activities changed and adapted to this new system. For example, our livelihoods now depended on waged work, rather than farming and relying on ones crops. However, we are not drastically different people as a result of it. To this day, we share values common to those of our predecessors. If we use the argument of authenticity in this context, we are perplexed by this referral as we do not see modernization as a tool that rids us of our heritage. Rather, we view change and “open-mindedness” as central to our societies’ progression and we welcome it. We still manage to find traces of “authentic” Canadian practices (Sugaring off anyone?), but are keen on keeping up with the latest of technologies.
Maybe what we should be asking is, is authenticity valuable in all contexts? Also, is Dubai really all that insincere?
Though we were not exposed to many Emirati people, my experience living in Saudi (and having attended a Saudi school in particular) has shown me how one is able to retain values of the pre-modernized culture all the while living in a new, more technologically and industrially advanced society. Raising the standard of living, and improving mortality rates and access to education should not be viewed as a compromise to ones’ culture or tradition. Marriages and other festivies are more or else done in the same way, as does the food they eat. Clothing attire and behaviour in public is to this day evidently displayed in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. I will admit that other facets of the culture have changed, but it is not all that bad (as had happened during the post- industrial era), and we should embrace it.

Development in the UAE

In North America, we tend to have an underlying mentality that democracy is best governing system and that although other countries are also industrialized; everyone wants to be North American in order to gain what we have. I have to say that this ethnocentric impression needs to be reconsidered. I form this opinion after meeting with a number of business people in the UAE, particularly with Mubadala, a development organization. I am really fascinated with the organization because it is a private organization that is executing public initiatives. It is an interesting solution for bureaucratic issues that we face in many industrialized countries that inhibits quick development - especially considering how fast the UAE's governments' decisions are being realized. The evidence of this development is obvious in the fact that the majority of the organizations we visited are in a new building of less than 2 years and there are thousands of cranes operating every day. I have never seen growth like this before - and I was living in Alberta during the recent oil boom.

Mubadala is private in that it is managed as any other organization that effectively manages its cash flows and does proper financial analysis for each project, diversifying industries and expanding operations. What makes Mubadala an interesting case is that it is mandated by the government to execute their development plans - for the economic and social well-being of the region. The UAE is governed by autocratic rulers who make all the major decisions of the country, so they have a strong influence in the strategic direction of this company. They also act as a venture capitalist, investing in various projects that Mubadala suggests are worth pursuing, that also support the strategy of the UAE. The oil money Mubadala does not appear to fuel an artificial stimulation of the economy (which we did see with other sectors such as in the Media City of Abu Dhabi), but just provides available capital. Additionally, because of this close relationship between Mubadala and the government, the company makes decisions based on social and economic parameters, perhaps encouraging more long term and sustainable decisions. For example, a major strategy of the government is to build the capabilities of Emiratees through the partnership with multi-national organizations. Thus the decisions made by Mubadala in their partnerships will encourage this knowledge transfer to locals, fulfilling a social purpose while stimulating economic activity. This has the potential to lead to sustainable growth with lesser and lesser reliance on foreign knowledge and investments.

This system is not without flaws by any means, but I think that it is interesting to see how effective it seems to be. Especially when comparing development to Abu Dhabi's neighbour, Dubai. Dubai has executed its development in a much more capitalistic fashion. This has facilitated its growth to some extent, but the city and industrial planning seems to less strategically aligned and purposeful as the development we observed in Abu Dhabi. Their development was delegated to various companies with less direction as to what to develop and how - there is not just one development organization like Mubadala. Thus there are several 'city centers' and suburbs developed that have poorly planned connecting streets making transportation a challenging issue. This comparison of development definitely favours Abu Dhabi's approach for long term effectiveness.

I have a number of criticisms of this system, involving many more complex issues than I have covered in this reflection. I will just share a few brief thoughts: Firstly, this rapid, autocratically directed growth is likely effective as a result of its focus on the well being of a city, not addressing the needs of the countryside of the small region. This is a considerably different situation than what is found in Canada or other larger countries. Secondly, the social development I spoke about is directed towards the Emiratee locals who make up about 10-15% of the country's population, who already have access to a number of advantages than the rest of the population. The social conditions of the remaining 85% of the population of the country seem to be largely unaddressed. Lastly, although Abu Dhabi is responsibly using their oil money to diversify their economy for long term success, I have doubts as to the economic viability of some of those investments (such as Masdar or the Media City), as they are attempting to create demand or industry from scratch, with the attitude that "if we build it, they will come." But will "they" actually come? Only time will tell. As for now, no one really knows, it is all speculation.

"C'mon Ride the Train"

Being interested in modern architecture and design for quite some time, Dubai is a place that truly was a feast for my eyes. Having visited many of the most influential contemporary design cities (Paris, various places in Italy, New York, etc.), none really come to par with or anywhere remotely close to Dubai. In fact, it would seem that for any engineer, designer, or architect, coming to the city for employment represents an unparalleled chance at full creative freedom, with limited or without any restraints whatsoever on capital. A true opportunity of a lifetime!

While the examples to cite for this are endless, one thing in particular still sticks in my head. On my last day in Dubai, I decided to venture off on my own to other less "touristy" areas of the city. This being said, I hopped on a taxi from our hotel en route to the nearest metro (Mall of the Emirates). Now, I know that metro systems are not exactly the things that are the most cosmopolitan...but, this time, I urge all of you to reconsider.

Have a look for yourselves - The first picture is a sample of what every metro station looks like from the outside (this one is of the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station), while the other two are taken from the inside of Khalid Bin Al-Whaleed station (the station adjacent to the Burjuman shopping center).

Having second thoughts yet? The cleanliness, superb. The staff, respectful and well-informed. The design, futuristic. The lighting, exquisite. A very high-end look, for such a basic staple. Truly Amazing!

I know that I might not be the most frequent user of metro systems or public transport as a whole but, I'm sure if Montreal's metros looked anything close to this, I, as well as others, might be more inclined to make use of it. The Dubai Metro System is fully automated, meaning that there are no drivers but there is a central location which monitors the flow of the carts. The metros ride above ground unlike the ones in Montreal. It is also said that once the entire system is completed, it will have taken over the world record set by the Vancouver Sky train as the longest automated metro system in the world. The only negative comment I can make about the system is that I found it to be quite slow. However, I'm not sure whether this is because many of the stations were still under construction causing the trains to have to slow down. I guess I will have to retest in June 2010 when it will be fully completed. Anybody down for a summer trip? I know I am!

One last random thought for now. For some reason, the only song that keeps on replaying in my head, over and over again, is one that is taking me back to my youth (I know I'm still young, but you understand), and the days in which Chicago Bulls Basketball games and anything Michael Jordan were all the rage. Come on people, sing the Quad City DJs song with me, I know you know it..."C'mon ride the train...woo woo...and ride it!"...I can't hear you...Sing louder!

Abu-Dhabi vs. Dubai

Abu-Dhabi (Father of the Gazelle in Arabic) is by far the richest of the 7 emirates of the UAE, and the one with the largest oil reserves. It is estimated that Abu Dhabi holds 9% of the world’s oil reserves, large enough to secure sufficient investment inflows for at least another 100 years. The capital state’s business culture is definitely more conservative, with strong government involvement focusing on preserving and promoting national Emirati culture. Abu Dhabi government and its main financial institution Mubadala promote joint economical and social development in the region

Dubai, on the other hand, is UAE’s most populous state and the most economically thriving. The city economical freedom and lax regulations allow for greater innovation and growth...too much, too fast at times. Foreigners (Expats) can own properties and businesses in the free-hold areas, providing a strong incentive for foreign investment and entrepreneurial activity. In fact Dubai is far less depended on oil and successfully diversified its economy into the tourism, real estate and services sectors.

Throughout our trip, from our interviews with business people and government officials, the unique identity of these two powerful states and the competition between them became more obvious. Is this inter-state rivalry healthy for UAE’s development? Strategically it could allow the two cities to position themselves and to jointly support regional economic growth: Dubai is a financial center, luxurious and extravagant, while Abu-Dhabi remains more traditional, with a focus on developing culture and fine arts . Another example is Abu-Dhabi’s young airline company Etihad, now competing with Dubai’s Emirates, pushing the industry to further innovate and improve quality standards to compete locally and internationally. However, the long term results of this brotherly rivalry remain to be seen....

Dubai's Burj Kalifa and Abu Dhabi's Yas Island future developments: Guggenheim, Louvre and Opera House

Richness in Culture, Not Currency

The population structure of the United Arab Emirates is highly unique. Eighty-five percent of the population of the country is comprised of expatriates, mostly individuals from South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Therefore Emiratis make up a huge minority within their own country. The vast disparity was evident everywhere we went, from the local souks to business headquarters, Emirati people were found far and in between.

With a strong affinity towards Middle Eastern cultures and a firm belief in the true value of cultural preservation, all I could think was that a rich Islamic culture was losing to globalization. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are being positioned as global hubs. Dubai already possesses every department store and hotel chain the world has to offer, and soon Abu Dhabi will be home to the Louvre and the Guggenheim Museums. Globalization on steroids; my greatest concern was how to preserve the region’s culture in such a global landscape.

I felt alone in my thoughts, as everybody was heralding the abnormally quick growth of the region and attributing them to the great prowess of our increasingly global world. After voicing my concern to a number of high-ranking business people we encountered, as well as managers from Mubadala, the central government fund for Abu Dhabi, I was relieved to discover that in fact, the Emiratis shared my anxiety. Cultural maintenance is a growing concern for nationals as they recognize that their country is currently managed and fueled by foreigners.

In response, the Sheiks have installed an Emiratization program. The thought is to encourage both public and private companies to hire local Emirati people who will be trained by their foreign counterparts. Essentially, the UAE (only approximately a thirty-five year old country) is acquiring expatriate skill-sets through knowledge transfers. This ingenious concept saves both time and resources, and ensures that the local Emirati people are trained by the most competent minds the global world has to offer. The program is aimed to build a sustainable Emirati business world fueled by its own people.

I am personally excited by the project, as it appears that the country has discovered a method of accelerating the typically slow process of climbing the corporate ladder. Emirati people hired normally possess university degrees from local or foreign universities (often through subsidy programs as well) and will be hired for positions currently held by expatriates. The expatriates, who are often living in the region for short transitional periods, will thoroughly train the locals to occupy their positions.

Although I recognize certain downfalls with the program, specifically in terms of finding enough willing Emirati people and the sustainability of essentially buying foreign knowledge, I believe that if expatriates ensure to impart their soft skills as well as their hard skills to the Emirati people (specifically in terms of management, innovation, organization), next time I visit the UAE, I will be pleasantly surprised.

who you are determines what you get

The Emirates primary objective is growth through attraction of foreign investment and skills that are lacking locally. In order to enhance this, they open their economy as much as possible hence sacrificing environmental or social regulations and investments. After visiting Abu Dhabi and Dubai for the last ten days I have noticed an apparent breakdown of the social classes. At the top, with the most power and wealth are the Emiratis followed by an upper class of expatriates from Europe, India and other Middle Eastern countries. They are usually educated and hold respectable jobs with high, tax free salaries. And at the bottom a lower working class also constituted of expats but from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Africa and India. University educated in their home country or not; they are usually construction workers, taxi drivers, fast food employees or in other service industries. Coming from the management faculty of our university; the objective of our trip was obviously oriented towards discovering the business opportunities, and the corporate life style in the Emirates. Very little focus on the underprivileged portion of the population.

I hence dedicated a portion of my free time to talk with some of these people. While the general census was that life is better here than at home with better working opportunities and conditions, many were disillusioned shortly after their arrival here. They work hard long hours for very little income for jobs often undermining their skill level. Although this is slowly changing, the lower class has difficult access to education and healthcare and are not always treated the best of ways. However, as said previously, they wouldn't be here if they had nothing to gain.

The image that was described to us by the managers of the companies we have visited was that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are going to be amongst the most important economic and cultural hubs in the future. I must admit that they had some very good arguments and I wouldn't be surprised if they are proven right in the future. However I just wanted to note the contrast between the opportunities for the upper class and those for the lower class, although both positive, are greatly disproportionate, significantly advantaging the few privileged. This is necessary to a certain extent in order to attract investment, although quite excessive here in my point of view. Given that the UAE is completely new, hence allowing incredible flexibility in its policies, I believe that it can seize this chance to not make the mistakes of others and get things right from the start.

If the United Arab Emirates is to be a leading figure in the future, I would just hope for it to not also be an example of inequality.

Is the UAE's growth sustainable?

Locals (emirates) represent only 15% of the population and own the majority of the firms in the country. Expats represent 85% of the population and consist of occidentals who have the management jobs and of Asians/Indians/ pakistanians who work as construction workers, at the bottom of the social ladder.
Culturaly, I doupt that locals, which represent only 15% of the population, will be able to preserve the traditions and values of the country in the long run. Economically, I believe that the country will not be able to sustain its economic growth if it continues to rely on expats to provide know-how considering these expats need to leave the country when their work visa expires. Can an economy evolve if there is no corporate memory and no internally developed strength? Can a country really thrive on a comparative advantage that it purchases from abroad? I honestly do not think so. People and firms come here to take advantage of the country’s resources and tax regulations (no taxes). The economy heavily relies on expats whose life here is only temporary, which creates short sighted growth strategy. In order to grow in the long run, I feel like the country will have to be more open concerning the residency status of foreigners.
Furthermore, the government of Abu Dhabi seems to be trying to build a comparative advantage in tourism (etihad), medias (two four 24), environment (Mazdar), manufacturing and high tech (according to the Canadian ambassador). I get the impression that by trying to specialize in so many industries, they will simply spread too thin and not be able to build a consistent brand image of the emirate.

Is Dubai Authentic??

Authenticity is a key element in attracting members of the creative class to a city. In a discussion prior to our trip, we had a conversation about whether or not Dubai is authentic - does the place match its branding, does it have something unique to the city? I would argue that although Dubai does have a unique environment that will attract creative people but will not retain them. In fact, the very features that draw people to Dubai are based on the transient attitude that facilitates their departure. Because about 92% of the population is made up by expatriates (non-citizens/locals), the dynamics of the foreign portion of the population within the unique legal framework of the city defines Dubai's culture, not by the Emiratees themselves.

I would define the authentic and attractive draw of Dubai is that it is a port city and a land of opportunity. By nature a port city is a place where people will stop in for business, experience the local entertainment and then leave. Dubai is in a key location in the Middle East, and has the most liberal and capitalistic regulatory system in the whole region. It draws young people (skilled and not) to its parties and entertainment of the quality one could find in Miami or Paris. Thus it compares to other port cities that facilitate trade and entertain, encouraging repeat visits. Dubai also provides a diverse amount of opportunity, despite the recent economic downturn. Whether you are from Bangledesh looking for a better wage or are a highly sought American businessperson, there is opportunity in Dubai for you. They are drawn to the opportunity to make tax free cash in a position or field that perhaps they would be able to have in their home country. However, a large portion of the businesspeople and politicians we spoke to (who are Expatriates, members of the creative class) will only stay in Dubai for a few years. They come, get the experience they were seeking (professionally and personally) and then they are off to the next adventure.

The implications of this authentic culture on Dubai's economic development are substantial. How will Dubai retain creative people in the long run? Although there are policies in place to have Emiratees absorb this expertise, will Dubai actually become an innovation center of the world? Until Dubai solves this challenge, it will continue to be a consumer of innovation in the future despite its high population of the creative class.

Environment: Not a Priority

Prior to coming to the United Arab Emirates, I ran into my “Strategies for Sustainability” professor from last semester. Professor Graham basically said to me “Celine, you better ask them about their reckless behavior towards the environment”. I most definitely made it my mission to understand the importance of the environment within the UAE’s agenda. After having spoken to many CEOs, executives, and government officials, I have come to the conclusion that the environment is definitely not at the forefront of the majority of the business being done in this country. Abu Dhabi and Dubai want to grow. They want to grow fast. The urgency of development and the pressure of immense GDP growth, in the double digits, mean that the country does not regard the environment as a priority or even a consideration. This being said, the country does value not only economic growth but social growth as well. In a country where there are thousands of low wage workers, the UAE is striving to improve the living conditions and the quality of life of not only their Emiratis but of the variety of its expats as well. The UAE is prioritizing in this sense – the country seems to have a “double bottom line”. In a country with only a 37-year history, there is hope with respect to social issues, and once the UAE realizes the complexity of social-environmental issues, I want to be idealistic and believe that there is hope with respect to the environment as well.

The Affect of Culture on the Business Climate

There was much to see and much to do in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but even more to learn. It's been interesting to learn about the culture and how that culture has impacted the business climate of the U.A.E.

The laws and customs have greatly affected how people do business. After a visit to the New Medical Centre that has ten hospitals in the U.A.E, we visually saw this influence. One of the hospital rooms included a large area for the family to gather and discuss the medical condition of the patient and to decide what to do. In Canada, there are patient confidentiality laws that do not allow doctors to discuss the medical condition of the patient without the proper consent, even with the family. In Canada, family members are often discourages to visit because time in the hospital is a time to rest and get better. Here, if family members don't visit it can be taken as an insult.

Over the last week, I found my opinions constantly changing as I struggled to understand the true essence of the country. I am still mulling over the issues and gathering my thoughts as I decide whether I would be willing and able to live in the U.A.E in the future.