The Bedoun 'without nationality' is a social class in several Arabic Gulf counties, many of which consider them stateless, or recognize them as illegal immigrants. For example, an administrative erasure of the Bedouns that commenced in Kuwait in 1983 seeks to remove the group’s identity to fulfil their expulsion from the National Census by allocating them as ‘nationals’ of other states. This program continues to place the group at risk of mass deportation, particularly because the group are not only stateless, but also intensively criminalised. At present, the Bedoun are subject to multiple layers of criminalisation and the removal of their ethnic and national identity and their tribal names and their fathers' names.  This coincides with one academic in Kuwait suggesting the Bedoun should no longer refer to themselves as 'Bedu' (Bedouin) if they are to demonstrate their intention to 'assimilate' into Kuwaiti society. While the Syrian and Yemen crises have diverted international attention from the Bedoun problem, the ethnic conflict continues to divide Kuwait's citizen society and to provide fuel for generalised perceptions of national insecurity inside the country. Joining us for this discussion is Dr Susan Kennedy Nour al Deen, who explicitly theorizes the ethnicity of the Bedouns in Kuwait and classifies the Bedoun problem as an ethnic conflict. In light of this background we will discuss:

The political significance of the Bedoun problem and the myth of 'original' citizenship among the Hadar class (i.e. the assumption citizenship is based on residence from 1920).

The context of the Bedoun identity “question” in terms of the development of knowledge of Arabian Gulf societies.

Major themes of stigmatisation arising from anti-tribal sentiment (Orientalism) and the invasion of Kuwait (extremist nationalism).

Post-Arab Spring suppression of Bedoun intellectual-activists and intellectual activities.

We are pleased to have Dr Kennedy Nour al Deen, join us for this discussion. Dr Kennedy Nour al Deen’s research The Stateless Bedoun in Kuwaiti Society: A Study of Bedouin Identity, Culture and the Intellectual Ideal won a Dean's Commendation for thesis research excellence in 2017.  In 2015, she presented at the UNHCR first global forum on statelessness at the Peace Palace, The Hague.  Dr Kennedy Nour al Deen currently works at Deakin University in the Faculty of Business and Law, School of Business and Economics.