Field Trip 2020

  Muscat Oman © Kulturgeo RWTH

Guidance: Prof. Dr. Carmella Pfaffenbach and Aysha Farooq, M.Sc.

Arabian Gulf Metropolises: Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat

The three Gulf metropolises, that we visited during the field trip, have been characterized by rapid economic development and dynamic urbanization since the mid-20th century. Since the turn of the millenium, these "oil-cities", whose population is very heterogeneous due to international labor migration, are on a transformation path into the "post-oil" era. This phase is characterized by economic diversification strategies and various approaches to more sustainable (urban) development. During the field trip, we devoted these (city) development processes and their effects. We spent the first five days in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, before we continued by bus to Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. On these days, the topics prepared by the participants (essays) were presented. In Muscat, the regional practical part took place: the participants conducted their own empirical surveys on different questions in small groups. The results have been presented on site and documented in a protocol.