Focusing on the struggles of youth in the Arabian Gulf to find their place in their encounters with modernity, Everyday Youth Cultures in the Gulf Peninsula explores how global forces are reshaping everyday cultural experiences in authoritarian societies.

A deeper understanding of Gulf youth emerges from reading about the everyday lives and struggles, opportunities, and contributions of youth who, in the process of developing their personal identities, are also incrementally transforming their societies and cultures. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, the chapters bring fresh insight into Gulf youth microcultures from the ground and invite dialogue by engaging young local and foreign academics in the discussion.

In light of the general difficulties of accessing Gulf societies, the book’s nuanced, richly detailed depictions of everyday life can be of interest to academic research in Middle East studies, youth sociology, political science and anthropology, as well as to business and governmental decision-making.