ABSTRACT
This chapter narrates the story of an individual city, Manama, in relation to local, regional and international influences. It examines the major transformation that Manama has witnessed from being a small town based on pearl-diving and maritime trade to a city which is now trying to use large-scale urban projects and iconic buildings to become a global player all with the aim of creating an international hub that attract tourists, business visitors and investors. The chapter sheds light on a new emerging form of urbanisation resulting from global influences interacting within the Gulf context. It argues that the general transformation of Bahrain's urban identity and that of Manama in particular into hybrid entities, is already having a huge impact on development, imagery and social structure. The chapter investigates and evaluates the impact of globalization, hybridity, and post-oil economics on the production of actual places in Manama.
