When asked about what constitutes Emirati identity, UAE nationals commonly resort to a slew of factors. These would include issues such as a strong sense of religiosity and affinity to Islam, the Arabic language, and a common heritage, such as the traditional style of dress, nabati poetry and traditional dances like the yolla.
There are, however, quite a few Emiratis who feel that there is no such thing as a common, overarching national identity in the UAE. While almost all would admit that the influx of foreign nationals over the years has put them in a somewhat awkward situation of being a minority in their own country, there is little doubt in many Emiratis' minds that this invasion of outsiders has lead to the partial erosion of the Emirati culture.
Far from insinuating that the issue of Emirati identity is a figment of imagination, one is faced with the problem of how to accurately capture this phenomenon.
Instead of resorting to the usual debate and speculation about what factors might have caused the ‘identity crisis' amongst Emiratis, I would instead like to turn the attention to why there is a discrepancy in terms of what makes up a common national identity.
Given that the demographic imbalance is viewed by many as an ‘existential threat' driving Emiratis to the margins, one could assume that a common threat, real or imaginary, would unite and lead to a common identity. Why is it then that Emiratis have not come to agree on the common denominators of their national identity?
Complex factors
The definition of Emirati identity is complicated by a whole range of complex factors. More often than not, writers and commentators on this subject have treated national identity as a given.
It is somehow assumed that we know and understand what Emirati identity is and what drives and shapes it. One is led to believe that there is one essential core identity that characterises Emiratis but clearly the notion of Emirati identity is far from monolithic.
For one, national identity is a social construction that is formed and shaped by multiple factors such as state discourse, the creation of a nation's history and mythology, individual socialisation and subjective interpretations. That implies that national identity is not static but a constantly evolving phenomenon.
Second, there are obvious and apparent regional and generational differences that have influenced diverse representations of Emirati identity. Given that the UAE is made up of seven individual emirates, one would have to strongly assume that each one of them exhibits local and geographic particularities, which in turn are reflected in different perceptions of Emirati identity.
A native Dubaiite, for example, might very well have different views of what he or she believes to be at the core of national identity vis-a-vis a UAE national who works in and hails from Ras Al Khaimah.
The same applies when looking at older and younger generations of Emiratis, i.e. the generational gap that leads to different perceptions of Emirati national identity. Of course, one needs to be careful not to generalise across the board, but it would be safe to say that many among the younger generation Emiratis are more at ease with the forces of modernisation.
They are apparently more adaptable in reconciling tradition with globalisation, while the older generation seems be more resistant and less willing to negotiate their cultural beliefs with those that are said to be part of the modernity.
The formation of national identity is a process that is very often formed in contrast to the ‘other'. In the Emirates, the ‘other' (a reference group to which we wish to compare ourselves with) is often the foreign nationals that reside in the UAE and have cultural traits that may not fully mesh with those of the local culture.
Here clear differences can be accentuated. Another way of highlighting one's distinct culture is by juxtaposing it to nationals of other Gulf Cooperation Council states such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar for example. While this is quite a natural process, it can lead to the conflation of one national identity with that of a related ‘other'.
Is traditional Emirati food or certain poetry exclusively Emirati or is it part of the mantle of Khaliji identity? Don't Saudis and Omanis also claim the right and privilege to such practices?
Contradictions
But often Emiratis themselves will engage in comparisons of their own kin as to who truly counts as a genuine Emirati and what gets to be labelled authentically Emirati by tracing back family lineage and ancestry or commenting on what genuine Emiratis look and should behave like.
The existence of multiple identities can add to the confusion. Depending on the context and circumstance, Emiratis will possibly prioritise one respective identity over another. One is at once a cosmopolitan, Muslim, Sunni, Arab Khaliji, Emirati, women, sister, mother, daughter, wife, manager which means that there are many, different, at times complementary, mutually reinforcing, yet also contradictory identities that render a common overarching identity from emerging to the surface somewhat problematic.
Thus, like other nationalities in this world, the Emirati national identity is based on a variety of traditions, concepts, desires, and truths that come together in ways that don't necessarily compose a unified or coherent whole.
This speaks to the organic and constantly evolving nature of what it means to be an Emirati.
Kristian Alexander is Assistant Professor at the College of Arts and Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi.
