Britain and the Arab Gulf after Empire

Although Britain's formal imperial role in the smaller, oil-rich Sheikhdoms of the Arab Gulf - Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates - ended in 1971, Britain continued to have a strong interest and continuing presence in the region. This book explores the nature of Britain's role after the formal end of empire. It traces the historical events of the post-imperial years, including the 1973 oil shock, the fall of the Shah in Iran, and the beginnings of the Iran-Iraq War; considers the changing positions towards the region of other major world powers, including the United States; and engages with debates on the nature of empire and the end of empire. The book is a sequel to the author's highly acclaimed previous books Britain's Revival and Fall in the Gulf: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Trucial States, 1950-71 (Routledge 2004) and Ending Empire in the Middle East: Britain, the United States and Post-war Decolonization, 1945-1973 (Routledge 2012).

Simon C. Smith is Professor of International History at the University of Hull, UK.

Introduction  1. The Trials of Independence, 1971-1972  2. The Oil Revolution, 1973  3. Challenges and Opportunities, 1974-1977  4. Revolution and Reaction, 1978-1979  5. War and Peace, 1980  6. The Empire Strikes Back? 1981  Conclusion: Imperialism after Empire?