Intimacy and the Global Era in Kuwait

Sociologist Anthony Giddens argues that the West has undergone an intimacy revolution during the second half of the 20th Century. Intimacy according to Giddens is now guided by the idea of the "Pure Relationship." Do you agree? Discuss what Giddens means by the pure relationship and then assess to what degree it applies to understanding intimate relations (family, friends, marriage) in Kuwait? Be sure to discuss what new forms of intimacy, if any, have emerged socially in the last 20 years, and whether it has become a source of social and political tension.

The Family in Historical Perspective

How has the family changed in Kuwiat? Assess three major historical transitions in Kuwait: Discovery of Oil, Independence, The Gulf War

Drwaing from your opinion and knowledge how do you think these changes have impacted on the structure of the family?

"Blood" Lines and National Belonging

How does family determine citizenship in Kuwait? Why is the father's side more important than the mother? What makes the family name so important to national identity? Do you agree or should matters change?