ABSTRACT
The quote is from a Dubai based blogger who in 2017 was preparing to leave the city for good. The notion of Gulf Exceptionalism is typically portrayed as a kind of essentialist, and reductionist, conceptualization of the peoples and cultures of the Arabian Peninsula. The claim of Gulf exceptionalism is not just the purview of essentialist outsiders but emanates from the region as well. All Gulf countries have instituted policies that recognize the perils of unchecked environmental growth, by emphasizing ‘low-carbon’ developments. Throughout the Arab Gulf there has been a shift towards technological solutions and policy reforms to encourage environmental sustainability. An alarming figure in and of itself but it becomes even more so if compared to other countries. Consider Singapore, often touted as a model for Dubai and others. Such activities can also be seen in Singapore, a society that is highly controlled and where activities are carefully regulated; as in the Arab Gulf, informality is frowned upon.
