United Arab Emirates' modernization in the eyes of French geographers

Titled, United Arab Emirates' modernization in the eyes of French geographers, the conference wass given by Dr. Brigitte Dumortier; Associate Professor of Geography at Paris-Sorbonne University. Pr. Xavier Galmiche, Academic Director attended the conference representing PSUAD.

The conference discussed the French interest in the UAE's culture, geography and politics. The French presence in the United Arab Emirates, in various sectors like business and technical domains as well as cultural and educational fields, has developed after the Independence in 1971. Whilst archaeologists multiply digs and excavations, a handful of geographers start studying Dubai, then Abu Dhabi and more recently the Northern Emirates.

Their work comes into geopolitical field but concerns also the dynamics of change. Breaking with an Orientalist vision and demolishing the readymade idea of oil monarchies founded ex-nihilo and leaving on their private incomes, they stress the ongoing modernization process and its various aspects: economical diversification, public policies evolution, free zones etc.

Geographical concepts and methods prevent the controversial approach or accommodating attitude when debating questions such as the legal status of foreign citizens, women's role, or sustainability.

Undertaken at different scales, research shows, on the one hand, the improvement of the integration of each Emirate within the UAE Federation, as well as of the UAE integration improvement in the GCC; and on the other hand, how can a future be built relying on a double heritage: Bedouin legacy and maritime tradition.

Rather than being torn between Tradition and Modernity, the UAE looks more like a laboratory of original forms of modernity, unless their cities - which tend to meet each other - are an archetypal representation of a hypermodern megalopolis yet to be. At this time of globalization, this hypothesis is an invitation to revisit the idea of modernity coming from the Age of Enlightenment, inspired by the humanism of the Western Europe Renaissance.

This conference comes in the framework of the French Season which started on May 5th and lasts until June 5th. The French Season is rather a representation of the strong French-Emirati bonds. It also celebrates the get-together of two civilizations over culture, sciences and experience.

It is worth mentioning that Dr. Brigitte Dumortier is an alumna of the Ecole Normale Superieure, a laureate in Geography with a PhD in Country Planning, Dr. Brigitte Dumortier is Associate Professor of Geography at Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV) where she is heading the Master Program in "Culture, Politics and Heritage".

Author of The Geography of Arab Orient (Armand Colin), Contemporary Oman (Khartala) and of Globalization and Knowledge Society in the United Arab Emirates (Choisel), she is in charge of the Gulf team in the frame of the CITADAIN program (CITADAIN: Globalization, Urban Development and Adjustment of Law; comparative study in India and in the Middle East). The program is funded by a French Ministry of Research (the National Agency for Research).