Introducing Gulf States Insights

For a limited time, Gulf States Insights is completely free to read. Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and publication archives.

What is Gulf States Insights all about?

It’s a regular newsletter, dedicated to providing timely and lively analysis of political and economic developments in the Gulf.

The Gulf states are the six wealthy states of the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). From Dubai to Riyadh, Manama to Muscat, Doha to Kuwait City, they are at the heart of the modern Middle East. The six countries are rarely far from the global news headlines, but the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are all too often underappreciated, misinterpreted and misunderstood by outsiders.

The aim of Gulf States Insights is to provide timely and lively analysis of key political and economic developments in the Gulf, drawing on a wide range of Arabic and English sources. This includes mainstream media reporting in Arabic and English, but also social media where so many Gulf debates take place. The ultimate goal is to make the region more accessible to educated (but not necessarily specialist) readers from around the world.

About the author - Dr Geoffrey Miller

As a long-time Arabic learner and someone who is passionate about the Middle East, I’ve visited the Gulf states many times over the years. In December 2025, I graduated with a PhD in Politics from the University of Otago for my award-winning thesis Unlocking the Middle East: New Zealand’s Relations with the Gulf States in the 21st Century.

For more about me and my contact details, see my website. I’m keen to hear from you!