Britain and State Formation in Arabia 1962�1971

<p>Half a century ago Britain abandoned Aden its last colonial outpost in the Arab world as its</p><p></p><p>attempt to establish a new polity foundered amid a rising tide of Arab nationalism tribal</p><p></p><p>infighting and anti-colonial sentiment that eventually gave rise to the establishment of</p><p></p><p>South Yemen. Yet just over three years later in 1971 a new state the United Arab Emirates</p><p></p><p>emerged in Arabia formed from the old Trucial states over which Britain had long held</p><p></p><p>sway. At a time when state failure and fragmentation has become synonymous with much</p><p></p><p>of the Middle East and where the very idea of sovereignty and legitimacy have become</p><p></p><p>contested issues this comparative historical study of the varied British attempts at state</p><p></p><p>creation on the Arabian peninsula offers important insights into the limits of external ambition</p><p></p><p>as well as the possibilities that great power retrenchment offered to the peoples of the</p><p></p><p>region. The legacy of British influence in Aden and Abu Dhabi still very much resonates</p><p></p><p>today; this volume explains why.</p><p></p><p>This book was originally published as a special issue of <i>Middle Eastern Studies</i>.</p>