Political Economy of the Arab Gulf

The Political Economy of the Arab Gulf Program studies the link between economic reform and the wider operation of social and political systems across the Middle East, assessing the short- and long-term implications for regional politics, security and U.S. interests.

The rise of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states as partners of influence in the Middle East injects new policymaking considerations into how regional and international organizations can best engage with each other and Middle East states at a time of profound political and economic change. The changing architecture of world politics means that power and influence will be dispersed among a greater number of active participants than ever before.

Baker Institute fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Ph.D., addresses political-economic transitions in the Gulf and the MENA region, and the political and economic possibilities choices now facing policy elites. As Gulf states’ foreign policy has become more assertive in an attempt to establish regional ownership of the direction of the post-Arab Spring landscape, it is important to identify how best and where to engage along a broad spectrum of issues.