Statelessness and Transnationalism in Northern Arabia: Biduns and State Building in Kuwait, 1959-2009
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The London School of Economics and Political Science Statelessness and Transnationalism in Northern Arabia: Biduns and State Building in Kuwait, 1959-2009 Claire Beatrix Marie Beaugrand A thesis submitted to the Department of International Relations of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, December 2010 1 UMI Number: U615B4B All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U615343 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Library British Library of Political and Economic Science Declaration of Authorship I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the author. I warrant that this authorization does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. 2 Abstract This thesis is a study of statelessness in Kuwait between 1959 and 2009. The population of Kuwait includes over 100,000 biduns, or stateless/paperless people, representing 10% of the nationals. With their origins in the tribes of Northern Arabia, they are undistinguishable from Kuwaitis but have failed to obtain nationality. Despite their role in the construction of the modem state, the biduns were classified as 'illegal migrants' in 1986. By highlighting the transnational foundations of the Kuwaiti society, this research argues that the persistence of statelessness is part of the dynamics of transnational or non-state actors in the region. Statelessness resulted from a conflict over naturalisation: Kuwaiti Arab nationalists sought support among Arab migrants, whereas the mling family used the tribes and their transnational solidarity networks to enlarge its legitimacy basis. Biduns could mobilise cross-border resources that risked upsetting the balance of Kuwaiti society. The thesis broadens the International Relations definition of transnational actors to include solidarity networks as 'non-institutionalised' non-state actors. It challenges the liberal view that considers transnationalism, in its 'institutionalised' form, as the inevitable result of increasing global integration, arguing that states engage in a two-way process with non-state actors. This research is based on fieldwork conducted between 2005 and 2008 in Kuwait. Press archives, starting in 1972, were used in order to capture the terms of the internal debate. Further material was drawn from repeated semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including individual stories of biduns. These primary sources were complemented by the findings of international human rights organisations. While contributing to the understanding of hidden transnational actors, this thesis adds a critical perspective in emerging Gulf studies. By labelling biduns as 'illegal migrants', Gulf monarchies have sought to portray themselves as facing the common challenge of migration while preserving their international reputation on which their security depends. 3 Acknowledgements 'Debts' are a particularly unpleasant topic at present. But expressing debts of gratitude incurred throughout my research and the writing of my dissertation is an extremely delightful moment. My first thoughts go to Professor Fred Halliday, my original supervisor. Early on, he encouraged me to strengthen my linguistic skills, which led me to study Arabic in Kuwait in 2002/03. From him I learnt to use languages, to reach out to sources and academic literature but most importantly to reach out to people. Professor Halliday also pushed the boundaries of the IR discipline to accommodate my multi-disciplinary PhD topic. Fred’s supervision was a source of inspiration and he is present in his teachings. It is an honour to dedicate this work to him. I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to Professor Madawi Al- Rasheed, at King's College, London, and Professor Fawaz Gerges, who took over my supervision very smoothly. Professor Al-Rasheed had faith in my topic; her anthropological expertise, which was reflected in her precision in handling fieldwork data, and her guidance in the final steps towards completion, considerably benefited my research. It was a rare privilege to work with her. I also would like to thank Professor Gerges for setting the highest standards in academic writing and for his remarks on my theoretical framework. Professor Jill Crystal, Dr. Daphne Josselin and Professor John Sidel also greatly enriched my reflection and dissertation through their comments and suggestions. I also owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Laurence Louer and Dr. Fatiha Dazi-Heni who encouraged me to pursue my research on the biduns when the project was in its infancy and have remained very generous in their support and advice. Studying the Kuwaiti society is fascinating; but living there on a student budget is not easy. My fieldwork research was funded by the three-year fellowship of the CEFAS, the French Research Centre for Archaeology & Social Sciences, based in 4 Sana’a, Yemen, and headed, at the time, by Jean Lambert. I would like sincerely to thank the former Ambassador of France to Kuwait, Corinne Breuze and the cultural attache Mr. Sylvain Fourcassie, with whom I worked on a higher education cooperation programme, for their precious support, not least in administrative matters. I am grateful to friends in Kuwait who kindly hosted me and made me feel at home, particularly Joseph and Sandra Fiannaca, Laila Al- Othman and her family. I wish to thank also my Kuwaiti and Gulf friends who, through discussions and shared experiences, gave me the keys to understand the depths of their complex societies, Nuf, Maha Al-Dossari, Mubarak Al-Ruwaie, Mahdi Al-Salman, Jassem Redha Hussein and Sawsan Abdulkarim. My thanks go as well to all my interviewees, all those who helped me obtain interviews, used their networks to suggest contacts and sources and showed me remote and hidden places. I incurred among them the most irredeemable debts. I cannot say much more than that their contributions are the living substance and the priceless value of this research. As for the written sources, I would like to thank all the team of the Information Centre at the Al-Qabas newspaper in Kuwait and particularly its director, Hamza Olayan. I spent weeks and months in an intellectually stimulating environment, with a quiet place to look into the archives during the day and benefiting from the passing of journalists from all the entire Middle East region and Kuwaiti intellectuals when evening came. To all who helped me go through the painful experience of losing someone who was far more than a supervisor to me, I would like to express my gratitude, particularly to Julie Wark, whose encouragements have been invaluable and editing work remarkable. I am also grateful to Carmen Claudin, Andrew Sherwood, Anne Lagnado and Kate Daubney. PhD fellows, with whom I shared all these years of such intense emotions, intellectual efforts and personal development, have been another priceless support: I would like to thank Lisa Aronsson, Cristina Barrios and Derya Gocer, who graduated before me and those who will follow soon, Zeynep Kaya, Jasmine Gani, Elizabeth Frantz and the fellows of the Q study room. Nicolas Barotte, and Fadhl Maghafi kept up my non-academic interests, from French politics to 5 Yemen. Joseph Chaillat helped me complete my studies despite a broken ankle: he provided me with invaluable and affectionate care, and gave me courage and determination. I cannot possibly thank enough Nicolas Guinet, whose support has been constantly present on all fronts, moral, cultural and personal. Denis MacAuley not only helped me with the edits but, like Fred, he is a depository of the best Middle Eastern political jokes. I would like to thank Victor Kumar, for generously and selflessly offering his help in editing my thesis, as well as William Richmond, for his professional contribution. Finally, I express my profound gratitude to my grandmother, my parents, my sister and brothers, who tirelessly support me not only throughout this doctoral experience but also through all the others, past and future. 6 To Professor Fred Halliday Table of Contents Tables and Illustrations ........................................................................................10 List of Acronyms ...................................................................................................11 Note on the Currency ............................................................................................11 Note on Transliteration .........................................................................................12