The oil economies of many of the Gulf emirates and states have undoubtedly had an impact on social hierarchies. The shifts in social hierarchies, however, should not be seen as simply transforming from “traditional” to “modern.” Indeed, local practices and social organization, such as tribal affiliation, have both accommodated and been remobilized by new state bureaucratic systems. Nevertheless, the dramatic transformation in the region's economy – from subsistence agriculture and pastoralism to…