Arab nationalism and the politics of “othering” in Kuwait: evidence from al-taliʿa

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines the dynamics between different social groups within Kuwait’s society, specifically focusing on the majority Arab population and the minority Ajam group originating from Iran. The Ajam community is distinct from the Arabs in terms of ethnicity and religious beliefs, with the majority of them identifying as Shiʿi Muslims while the majority of Kuwaitis are Sunni Muslims. Although the Ajam community has integrated into Kuwaiti society, speaking Arabic and sharing similar daily lives, their acceptance was not always the case. In the past, they were considered outsiders and faced hostility from Arab nationalists, the dominant political groups in Kuwait during the previous century. This paper conducts an analysis of the discourse employed by Arab nationalists towards the Ajam community in the 1960s, utilizing the Arab nationalist weekly newspaper, al-Taliʿa, as a case study. This analysis involves contextualizing the discourse and linking it to Kuwait’s state formation and the Ajam community’s status within the country. Through an examination of over 250 issues of the newspaper published between 1962 and 1968, the study demonstrates that Kuwaiti Ajam were framed as ‘Others’, targeted based on their country of origin and ethnicity and viewed as potential threats to the nation.