Citizens in Training

Through a series of expert interviews, this podcast mini-series explores some of the most pressing questions raised by the CSIS Middle East Program report, “Citizens in Training: Conscription and Nation-building in the United Arab Emirates.” Hear from leading experts on the Gulf, the UAE, and modern militaries in general what the UAE’s bold experiment in military conscription as a nationbuilding tool reveals about the leadership’s diagnosis of its key challenges at a pivotal moment in its national trajectory, the rise of new nationalism in the Gulf and GCC states’ efforts to prepare for a post-oil future, and the implications of conscription for both militaries and societies in a 21st century world. Jon Alterman and Margo Balboni of the Middle East Program host. Produced by Emily Grunewald and Yumi Araki. For listeners who want a deeper dive into the UAE’s conscription program, the full “Citizens in Training” report with a two-page executive summary is available here.