Discuss three main aspects of change in the UAE’s cultural sector in the past 150 years.
Describe the economic, cultural and educational aspects of UAE society, and the processes and stages of their transformation.
UAE’s Cultural
Introduction
During UAE’s 37th National day, Sheikh Khalifa made a critical remark about the country- he addressed the aspect of the nation’s unique identity in the region. Most notably, the president mentioned that identity defined UAE’s direction in terms of growth and development (“Khalifa’s address to the nation”, 2007). Reflecting on Sheikh’s speech, it is evident that a lot has changed in the country’s identity over the last 150 years, especially in the cultural sector, probably because of globalization and the influx of western culture. Most notably, the changes in the cultural sector, such as language, dressing, and the urban landscape, have been substantial in the country, posing a significant challenge to today’s youth and future generation in terms of employment, adjusting to the cultural transformation and mental health problems.
Aspects of Change in UAE’s Cultural Sector
One of the most significant areas in the UAE’s cultural sector that have witnessed considered change over the last 150 years is language. Scholars observe that as a result of globalization and influx of expatriates, English has become the country’s Lingua Franca (Al-Qassimi, 2015). Decades ago, Arabic was not only the national language but also the most commonly used linguistic in Emirates, due to the strong influence that Arabian culture had in the country. For example, before the Union, it is observed that Arabic was used in all official materials such as court documents, government communication, and written documents in businesses and banks (Siemund, Al-Issa & Leimgruber, 2020). However, today, the majority of these documents are prepared and translated in both Arabic and English. As such, this information reveals that language in the UAE has undergone an unprecedented change over the last few decades.
Besides language, the cultural mode of dressing in the UAE has also evolved gradually over the past few decades. Al-Qassimi (2015) asserts that Emirate culture has evolved into a hybrid of western and traditional Emirati. Unlike before, both men and women are now incorporating western trends, such as garments and accessories in their fashion. For example, Ilkben (2019) observes that today, young Emirati girls have begun to wear jeans, a typical western style. Before, Emirati women would mainly wear cloaks that reflected the Islamic culture of preserving one’s modesty. However, today, both young and adult females wear western clothes alongside Emirati fashion (Al-Qassimi, 2015). The same case applies to men who also incorporate western styles, such as accessories in their outfits. These two scenarios exemplify the way in which the Emirati’s dressing culture has changed significantly due to the influence of western civilization.
Furthermore, the urban landscape in the UAE has witnessed a drastic change in the past few decades, mainly because of economic globalization. As observed by Al-Qassimi (2015), a significant fraction of UAE urban landscape today comprises modern architecture, an aspect that had not been witnessed in the country since the 1970s. For example, today, Dubai, one of the fastest-growing cities in the UAE, has some of the largest, tallest, and modern landscapes in the Middle East. The urban landscape in UAE today is a complete opposite of the traditional scene which comprised empty plots and dry land. The unprecedented change in the urban landscape in UAE can be attributed to the gradual acceptance of smart technology in the country (Plumb, 2019). By leveraging on modern technology, UAE’s cultural sector, most notably urban landscape, is slowly becoming more and more modernized.
While the ongoing changes in UAE’s cultural sector are beneficial and somewhat inevitable, they pose considerable challenges to today’s youths and future generations, especially in terms of employment. As observed by Al-Qassimi (2015), changes in the aspect of language in UAE has been a barrier for employment for UAE nationals. Notably, cultural change has reshaped the job market, requiring individuals to be conversant in English to secure work in the country. As such, youths who lack the language skills experience difficulties in getting jobs in the country.
Furthermore, youths today are experiencing challenges adjusting and fitting in the cultural identity that UAE is creating for itself. Based on his experience, Al-Qassimi (2015) ascertains that the cultural transformation in the Emirates poses a significant threat to citizens, especially youth, who undergo denial of the new identity. As such, teenagers that fail to accept and develop the skills to fit in the new cultural identity live in denial and experience challenges in fitting in society.
Besides, as a result of this cultural transformation, today’s youth and future generations are more exposed to mental health issues. Most notably, Underwood (2013) opines that it is difficult for young people to navigate through an impressively modern world while maintaining conservative, traditional values. As such, many of the Emirates youth today struggle to navigate through the different identities and eventually succumb to mental health issues due to failure to strike a balance between the two identities.
Conclusion
Findings from the above research reveal that UAE’s cultural sector, especially elements of language, dressing, and urban landscape, have undergone significant change over the past 150 years. Most notably, all three aspects of culture have significantly been influenced by the influx of foreign culture in the country and economic globalization. The research also shows that as a result of this change, youths today and future generations face barriers in employment, undergo mental health issues, and experience challenges adjusting to the new culture. To mitigate the identified problems and make UAE a better and safer society for the present and future generations, the government should ensure that this population has access to programs that offer essential skills required to cope with the ongoing cultural transformation.
References
“Khalifa’s address to the nation on National Day” (2007, December 1). Emirates News Agency. Retrieved from http://wam.ae/en/details/1395227996340
Al-Qassimi, S. (2015, May 25). Arabish: The cultural transformation of the UAE. Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@salqass/arabish-arabic-and-english-the-cultural-transformation-of-the-uae-a9c678d5bc76
Ilkben, A. (2019). Examining the relationship between economics and philosophy. Pennsylvania, U.S: IGI Global.
Plumb, C. (2019, February 26). Opinion: Technology’s impact on Dubai’s changing urban landscape. Arabian Business. Retrieved from https://www.arabianbusiness.com/property/413804-opinion-technologys-impact-on-dubais-changing-urban-landscape
Siemund, P., Al-Issa, A., & Leimgruber, J.R.E. (2020). Multilingualism and the role of English in the United Arab Emirates. World Englishes, 1(1), 1-14. DOI: 10.1111/weng.12507
Underwood, M. (2013, October 24). The challenge of change. The National. Retrieved from https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/the-challenge-of-change-1.310568
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