Christopher M Davidson

Christopher Davidson is author of the shortly forthcoming After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies. He has taught at universities in Britain and the United Arab Emirates and has written several other books on the Gulf, including Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success and Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond

The United Arab Emirates: frontiers of the Arab Spring

The United Arab Emirates has yet to face Arab Spring street protests, as have Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and its other neighbours. Nonetheless its seven ruling families are now finally being challenged directly by a number of brave citizens, some of whom are publicly calling for regime change.

By Christopher M Davidson

/ 8 Sep 2012

Bahrain: the crisis of monarchy

The ruling family’s brutal and misjudged response to Bahrain’s protest movement is undermining its own legitimacy, says Christopher M Davidson.

By Christopher M Davidson

/ 25 Jul 2011

Bahrain on the edge

The politics of a small Persian Gulf kingdom do not usually reverberate far beyond its borders. But an accumulation of social tensions and rights violations in Bahrain gives its coming election a rare international importance, say Christopher M Davidson & Kristian Coates-Ulrichsen.

By Christopher M Davidson and Kristian Coates Ulrichsen

/ 19 Oct 2010

Dubai and Abu Dhabi: implosion and opportunity

The financial crisis in Dubai exposes the hollow reality underlying the city’s glitzy facade of wealth. The political implications for the United Arab Emirates and the wider region are enormous.

By Christopher M Davidson

/ 4 Dec 2009

Dubai’s stifled voice: censorship vs progress in the UAE

The United Arab Emirates is powering into the 21st century on the back of two rapidly diversifying macroeconomies. The wealthiest emirate of Abu Dhabi is supplementing its massive oil and

By Christopher M Davidson

/ 22 Oct 2008

Dubai: spots on the sun

The United Arab Emirates - comprising seven sheikhdoms, including the internationally renowned Dubai - were on 16 June 2008 elevated to the highest terrorism risk level by Britain's

By Christopher M Davidson

/ 26 Jun 2008