Regionalizing Oman

This volume addresses the historical structures and current dynamics of Oman’s regionalization processes and their political, economic and social dimensions. It is based on an interdisciplinary and trans-regional dialogue between scholars from different social sciences and area studies such as political science, economics, management, economic and social geography, history, social anthropology and linguistics as well as Middle East/West Asian, gulf and African studies, and develops four major axes of research:

- Oman’s integration into global and regional flows of goods, capital, people and ideas;

- The multi-scaled political negotiation of such integration (or disintegration) processes;

- Consequences of suchlike processes and forms of regionalization for (translocal) actors;

- Ideas and strategic communication of regional belonging and the constitution of regions.

Each chapter deals with one or more of these issues. Part I deals with concepts of regionalisation and region-building and presents different approaches that accentuate certain dimensions of these processes and come from different disciplinary backgrounds. Part II focuses on the translocal, transnational and (trans)regional movement of people, their practices and imaginations, be they contemporary labour in- and out-migrants, returnees from Eastern Africa or nomadic tribal members. Part III takes a closer look particularly at economic issues and regionalisation processes that are mainly based on multiple trade links, regional development policies or politics of regionalism. Part IV analyses political and socio-cultural issues in regional and global perspectives.

 

Very often economists and politicians tend to analyse past trends and future opportunities of regional economic integration in terms of pre-defined regional entities. More recent concepts across the disciplines emphasise a more open approach to regionalisation processes, focusing on region-building and on a more open definition of regions. Whereas Oman is regularly considered to be situated in MENA/ the Arab world, the paper takes a different perspective and sees it as part of the Indian Ocean world. It focuses on three dimensions of this integration process: on the institutional side – such as organisational membership or regional and bilateral economic agreements; on the development of material economic links, mainly trade; as well as on debates inside Oman about its regional orientation and belonging. The author shows that Oman has and is developing strong economic links with Indian Ocean rim countries and actively places itself in the area. The main motives behind that are to be found in endeavours to prepare the national economy for the post-oil era. Attempts to position Oman as a production place, a trade hub and a tourist destination have been strengthened. All this means that Oman is trying to produce and communicate a favourable geo-economic position. Finally, the presentation shows that the Indian Ocean is not a homogenous entity, but is divided into several sub-regions and has differing shapes, according to different temporal, institutional, material or discursive perspectives.