Call for Papers: Journal of Gulf Studies

Special Issue: ‘Beyond History: Revisiting the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean Connectivity’ 

Guest Editor: Dr Amna Sadiq

View the full call here>>

https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-gulf-studies#call-for-papers

At the geographical convergence of East and West, both regions have been shaped by a dynamically complex system of dependency. The nature of this dependency has transformed over time, moving from early dhows transporting pilgrims and Omani merchants to British oceanic steamship services and, more recently, to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The subsequent advent of the Arabian Gulf region and South Asia as geostrategic and economic powers has shifted the practical means of cooperation across the ocean, from a simple economic corridor to a more sophisticated inter-regional cooperative system. 

Today, this inter-regional cooperation plays a significant role in shaping the international system rather than merely being shaped by it. As a result, both regions are involved in a relational and dynamic rather than geographical and static relationship. Tracing the internal dynamics of the connections between the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean has important implications for our understanding of this relationship. By approaching the development of both regions as an evolving process, we can clarify the conditions under which their dependency functions, along with the associated complexities of regional power struggles. 

Although the study of the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean has drawn increasing academic interest, scholars have thus far paid scant attention to the changing nature and scope of their system of dependency. Influenced strongly by historical inquiry, the Indian Ocean is frequently conceptualized as a mere container of economic activity, and the Arabian Gulf is seen simply as an economic corridor. This Special Issue of the Journal of Gulf Studies invites scholars and readers to move beyond this tradition and learn about the changing dynamics and contemporary developments in the Arabian Gulf–Indian Ocean relationship. 

In this issue, we aim to engage with the latest scholarly trends while also addressing the historical roots of this relationship, offering forward-looking, fresh readings and new approaches to the study of Arabian Gulf–Indian Ocean interactions. We seek to map the rapidly changing patterns of political, economic, and social interactions between both regions as well as clarify the ramifications of these interactions for the international system. 

Scholars interested in contributing to this Special Issue are encouraged to pay attention to the timeline identified below:

Abstract submission: Please contact the journal (gulfstudiesj@outlook.com) by 30 April 2024 with a short bio and an abstract of around 300 words. The authors will be informed of their papers’ inclusion into the special issue on a rolling basis.

Delivery of the final paper: 31 September 2024.

For editorial inquiries you can reach the journal at: gulfstudiesj@outlook.com

More information about the journal can be found at: https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/jgs