Rivka Azoulay is a postdoctoral fellow at Sciences Po Paris, France, where she is working on a project to reform the social safety net system in Kuwait.
This is the definitive political history of Kuwait. Rivka Azoulay examines its experiences within the context of political change in traditional societies and centre periphery relations. It is an excellent work and essential reading for those interested in the history of Arabia and the Gulf. -- Rodney Wilson, Emeritus Professor, Durham University, U.K A magnificent volume that connects past and present to provide one of the most comprehensive books on Kuwaiti politics to date. -- Christopher Davidson, Associate Fellow, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), U.K Rivka Azoulay's book combines ethnographic finesse with a deep grasp of Gulf historical sociology. It is, by some margin, the best piece of work on the political sociology of GCC elites. Its historical range is impressive and theoretical insights about how the Kuwaiti rentier state allies with and reshapes social groups are unique, adding a dimension of identity politics to Gulf political economy that has long been missing. -- Steffen Hertog Associate Professor in Comparative Politics, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK