Abstract

There are vast swathes of people in economic migration across the Gulf states today. In total, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar form the largest destination for labour migration in the global South. This book studies the impact of this mass migration, and its effect on citizenship and workers' rights.

Transit States considers how the transitory labour power these workers provide creates an extraordinary development boom that impacts neighbouring countries. The majority of the working population is therefore composed of migrant workers with no citizenship rights.

The Gulf takes a central place in growing debates around migration and labour in the global economy. Transit States confronts the precarious working conditions of migrants in an accessible, yet in-depth manner.
'A novel and a crucial contribution to the study of migration through the lens of political economy, applicable to sociology, anthropology, and historical studies, a rich and comprehensive collection'
Immanuel Ness, Professor Department of Political Science, Brooklyn College, City University of New York
'A valuable addition to our knowledge about the demographic, social, political, economic, historical, and spatial factors underlying the dynamics of labour migration in shaping the Gulf countries'
Nasra Shah, Professor of Demography, Kuwait University