Oil, Gender Anxiety, and Regime Stability in the Arabian Gulf

• In Event: The Mass Politics of Climate Change

Abstract

Countries in the Arabian Gulf are not only the world's top oil producers but are also among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Most Gulf countries have published ambitious plans to move their economies away from the oil industry. Yet, these plans are publicly controversial, as they may increase employment opportunities for women and upend traditional gender relations in the region. In this project, we explore how economic diversification shapes support for authoritarian regimes through gendered patterns of economic anxiety. We argue that economic diversification threatens men's social and economic identities, thus undermining men's support for governments and the costly policies needed to prevent the worst repercussions of climate change. We test our core hypotheses through survey experiments fielded to nationally representative samples in Oman and Kuwait. Early results support our argument. Additionally, we are designing randomized behavioral games that test Omani men's willingness to cooperate with female enumerators as a measure for how economic anxieties shape support for traditional gender roles and regime support.

Authors

• Sarah S. Bush, University of Pennsylvania

• Amanda Clayton, UC Berkeley

• Elizabeth R. Nugent, Princeton University