Social Identity and Peace in the Modern Middle East: Insights from the United Arab Emirates
Social identities in the United Arab Emirates are complex and vary in nationality, religion, culture, socio economic status, and multiple other dimensions. Intergroup interaction is a part of daily life that shapes and is shaped by identity. This chapter focuses on the role of social identity in conflict and peace at multiple levels, first considering ways that the Emirati national identity has been created and protected, before exploring how identification with other Gulf and Arab nations has created overlapping patterns of international conflict and cooperation. We also explore the multicultural social hierarchy within the resident population of the UAE, and the role that stability, permeability, and legitimacy of the social system plays in regulating individuals' reactions to their place in the social system. Finally, we consider how culture interacts with identity to create complex multicultural individuals whose goals, motives, and interests can shift dramatically along with shifts in self categorization.