Dubai: Behind an Urban Spectacle Planning, History and Environment Series

Yasser Elsheshtawy explores Dubai?s history from its beginnings as a small fishing village to its place on the world stage today, using historical narratives, travel descriptions, novels and fictional accounts by local writers to bring colour to his history of the city?s urban development.

With the help of case studies and surveys this book explores the economic and political forces driving Dubai?s urban growth, its changing urbanity and its place within the global city network. Uniquely, it looks beyond the glamour of Dubai?s mega-projects, and provides an in-depth exploration of a select set of spaces which reveal the city?s ?inner life?.

Preface 1. The Emerging Urbanity of Dubai 2. Arab Cities and Globalization 3. The Other Dubai: A Photo Essay 4. The Illusive History of Dubai 5. The Transformation of Dubai or Towards the Age of Megastructures 6. Spectacular Architecture and Urbanism 7. The Spectacular and the Everyday: Dubai’s Retail Landscape 8. Transient City: Dubai’s Forgotten Urban Spaces 9. Global Dubai or Dubaization

Yasser Elsheshtawy is Associate Professor of Architecture at the UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.