Papers by Jane Bristol-Rhys
Digest of Middle East Studies, Apr 1, 2008
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Brill’s Encyclopedia of China, Aug 11, 2014
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Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, 2014
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Zed Books Ltd, 2016
A “women only” working environment in Abu Dhabi typically includes several foreign migrant men wh... more A “women only” working environment in Abu Dhabi typically includes several foreign migrant men who might clean, serve tea, or, in fact, lecture. Among Emiratis, these migrants are generally not perceived to be men because “they don’t count” as such. For Emiratis, only Emirati men are men; hundreds of thousands of “bachelors,” as South Asian male migrants are called, have been effectively neutered and so are not considered socially dangerous. While Emiratis recognize Pathans and Sikhs as fully masculine and hence potentially dangerous (albeit somewhat respected for this) and are therefore carefully monitored, other South Asians are grouped together and their regional specificities elided in the production of an ‘effeminate Indian’ stereotype. Indians, meanwhile, appear to be unaware of the degree to which they are effeminized in Emirati discourse. Indian migrant internal discourse infantilizes Arab men as males who lack the manly virtues of self-control and emotional restraint. All this echoes historical work on the colonial-imperial production of effeminacy, and specifically the de-masculinization of male house servants in India, but it also connects to contemporary ideas about – on the one hand - racial castration and – on the other - the hyper-masculinization of the Arab male. Our Abu Dhabi material also stands in interesting contrast to what has been discussed for Qatar, where ‘bachelor panic’ reigns (Gardner). The effective neutering of most South Asian males in the UAE seems then to be both occupationally based and also coded through ‘race.’ Meanwhile, the relatively low level of ‘bachelor panic’ in UAE is perhaps also a result of the specifics of migrant long-term embeddedness here as compared to Qatar. In this paper we explore the gendered stereotypes and tropes that shape perceptions, language and the ethnocracy of Abu Dhabi. The research presented here is drawn from Bristol-Rhys’ work among Emiratis and Osella’s work among Indian migrants, and spans decades of interviews and observation.
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Center for International and Regional Studies, 2011
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Masculinities Under Neoliberalism, 2016
A “women only” working environment in Abu Dhabi typically includes several foreign migrant men wh... more A “women only” working environment in Abu Dhabi typically includes several foreign migrant men who might clean, serve tea, or, in fact, lecture. Among Emiratis, these migrants are generally not perceived to be men because “they don’t count” as such. For Emiratis, only Emirati men are men; hundreds of thousands of “bachelors,” as South Asian male migrants are called, have been effectively neutered and so are not considered socially dangerous. While Emiratis recognize Pathans and Sikhs as fully masculine and hence potentially dangerous (albeit somewhat respected for this) and are therefore carefully monitored, other South Asians are grouped together and their regional specificities elided in the production of an ‘effeminate Indian’ stereotype. Indians, meanwhile, appear to be unaware of the degree to which they are effeminized in Emirati discourse. Indian migrant internal discourse infantilizes Arab men as males who lack the manly virtues of self-control and emotional restraint. All this echoes historical work on the colonial-imperial production of effeminacy, and specifically the de-masculinization of male house servants in India, but it also connects to contemporary ideas about – on the one hand - racial castration and – on the other - the hyper-masculinization of the Arab male. Our Abu Dhabi material also stands in interesting contrast to what has been discussed for Qatar, where ‘bachelor panic’ reigns (Gardner). The effective neutering of most South Asian males in the UAE seems then to be both occupationally based and also coded through ‘race.’ Meanwhile, the relatively low level of ‘bachelor panic’ in UAE is perhaps also a result of the specifics of migrant long-term embeddedness here as compared to Qatar. In this paper we explore the gendered stereotypes and tropes that shape perceptions, language and the ethnocracy of Abu Dhabi. The research presented here is drawn from Bristol-Rhys’ work among Emiratis and Osella’s work among Indian migrants, and spans decades of interviews and observation.
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The discovery of oil in the late 1960s catapulted Abu Dhabi out of isolating poverty. A boom in c... more The discovery of oil in the late 1960s catapulted Abu Dhabi out of isolating poverty. A boom in construction introduced new sightlines to the city's landscape and transformed its infrastructure and economy. The impressive growth of just a few decades created new opportunities for work and play and developed a social welfare system that offered free education and medical treatment, generous pensions, family subsidies, and government incentives. Citizens were suddenly encouraged to participate in all aspects of their remaking, and wealth from a seemingly limitless oil economy enabled many households to acquire a sheen of sophistication. The pattern of Abu Dhabi's phenomenal growth can be traced throughout the United Arab Emirates, and oil wealth can be felt among their societies as well. Yet conspicuous consumption hasn't cast the Emirates in a very favorable light. Both at home and abroad, many have accused Emirati citizens of violating the limits of taste and tolerance. ...
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Participation Culture in the Gulf, 2018
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This Summary Report includes synopses of the papers delivered at the two “Migrant Labor in the Gu... more This Summary Report includes synopses of the papers delivered at the two “Migrant Labor in the Gulf” working group meetings, as well as biographies of all the participants who took part in the initiative. The edited volume, titled Migrant Labour in the Persian Gulf is published by Columbia University Press/Hurst in 2012.
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SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011
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Journal of Arabian Studies, 2011
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International Journal of Middle East Studies, 2009
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History and Anthropology, 2009
The rapid development of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has encouraged a focus on the future rath... more The rapid development of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has encouraged a focus on the future rather than on the past, and Emirati historical narratives condense historical time significantly, sometimes erasing entire periods. Emirati narratives also retrace the years of ...
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Digest of Middle East Studies, 2008
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Digest of Middle East Studies, 2008
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Digest of Middle East Studies, 2012
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Callaloo, 2004
ROWELL: I have noticed that women in Coyolillo seem to have a position very different from that o... more ROWELL: I have noticed that women in Coyolillo seem to have a position very different from that of women in Xalapa. And that position is different from the one women occupy in the United States. Here in Coyolillo they all seem confined to working in their homes. But you’re a professional; you are not confined to the home. Your position here seems so different from other women in this community. In fact, your professional position is obviously central to the well-being of this community. That is, to exercise that position you must leave your home and do public work for the good of all—for the men, women and children of Coyolillo. You are in a position of serious authority. How do the men here deal with you, a woman in a powerful position of authority?
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Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, 2014
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Papers by Jane Bristol-Rhys