Everyday Life in the Spectacular City: Making Home in Dubai

Everyday Life in the Spectacular City is an urban ethnography that explores how middle-class citizens and longtime residents of Dubai interact with the city's superficial spaces to create meaningful social lives. It demonstrates that inhabitants adapt themselves to top-down development projects, transforming Dubai's spectacular spaces into personally important cultural sites. This study offers an alternative to the discourse of authenticity and elucidates the dynamics of ambivalent belonging, challenging stereotypes that portray Dubai's developments as alienating and disempowering.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 294 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2024
Publisher: University of California Press

Everyday Life in the Spectacular City is a groundbreaking urban ethnography that delves into the intricate ways in which middle-class citizens and long-time residents of Dubai engage with the city's so-called superficial spaces to forge meaningful social connections. Rana AlMutawa, through her extensive fieldwork, unveils how inhabitants adapt themselves to top-down development projects, ranging from grand malls to megaprojects. These structures not only meet the evolving social needs of the residents but also transform Dubai's awe-inspiring spaces into deeply personal cultural sites. The significance of these practices lies in their expansion of our understanding of agency, recognizing that it encompasses both subversive and adaptive aspects.

Through her meticulous research, AlMutawa, a native Emirati of Dubai, presents a nuanced narrative of belonging that goes beyond mere surface-level exploration. Rather than seeking to uncover the authentic city beneath the veneer of spectacle, her work aims to showcase that social meanings and forms of connection arise within the very spectacle itself. By offering an alternative to the discourse of authenticity, AlMutawa challenges stereotypes that portray Dubai's developments as alienating and inherently disempowering.

Everyday Life in the Spectacular City transcends the boundaries of the Middle East and speaks to a globalized phenomenon. Dubai's spectacles, in the context of today's rapidly changing world, are merely exceptional examples of a broader trend. The city's ability to captivate and inspire has made it a hub for individuals from diverse backgrounds, seeking to create a life filled with meaning and purpose.

In conclusion, Everyday Life in the Spectacular City is a transformative work that offers a fresh perspective on urban life and belonging. Through meticulous research and thoughtful analysis, AlMutawa sheds light on the complex dynamics between citizens, development projects, and the city's spectacular spaces. Her book challenges stereotypes and provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of agency and ambivalent belonging in the modern world.

Weight: 444g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520395060