Riyadh: Transforming a Desert City, Yasser Elsheshtawy (2022)Making Space for the Gulf: Histories of Regionalism and the Middle East, Arang Keshavarzian (2024)

Key Points

• This review assesses the contributions of two books that explore urban and regional changes in Riyadh and the Gulf region.
• Review of two distinct publications focusing on urban studies and regionalism.
• Analysis of architectural and cultural implications in the context of the Middle East.
• The first book provides insights into the physical transformation of Riyadh.
• The second book delves into the broader historical context of regional identity and politics in the Gulf.