Deconstructing ‘Energy Security’ in Oman: A Journey of Securitisation from 1920 to 2020

294 Pages·2022·5.011 MB·English

by  Lamya Harub

Gulf Studies 6
Lamya Harub
Deconstructing ‘Energy Security’ in Oman
A Journey of Securitisation from 1920 to 2020
Gulf Studies
Volume 6
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Md Mizanur Rahman, Gulf Studies Center, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar
University, Doha, Qatar
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Lamya Harub
Deconstructing ‘Energy Security’ in Oman
A Journey of Securitisation from 1920 to 2020
Lamya Harub
Muscat, Oman
ISSN 2662-4494 ISSN 2662-4508 (electronic)
Gulf Studies
ISBN 978-981-19-4690-5 ISBN 978-981-19-4691-2 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-4691-2
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
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This study is dedicated to
my parents, Harub and Zuwaina,
for always believing in me,
and for your steadfast love as I sought
new worlds, new realities, and new selves.
My siblings,
for your generous spirit and unceasing support of my work;
and my friends,
for all the laughs, love, and companionship.
The academics, administrators, interviewees,
and all whom I met during my research journey,
thank you for teaching me more than can be captured in the pages of
this research.
Acknowledgments
My supervisors
Claudia Aradau, I am in awe of you. Thank you for your enthusiasm, time, and ideas,
and for challenging me to think more critically about my work. You have made my
Ph.D. journey a productive and stimulating experience. I promise to never use the
phrase ‘as per’ ever again.
Tomas Maltby, thank you for inspiring me to work harder and for teaching me to pay
attention to the important nitty-gritty details.
Petra Dolata, thank you for accepting me into the Ph.D. programme and talking me
through the journey when I was only just beginning.
My family
My parents, Zuwaina and Harub, thank you for believing in me even when I did not
believe in myself.
My siblings: Laila (my confidante), Nutaila (my rock), Fardous (my inspiration),
Mohammed (my hope), Michael (my encouragement), and Plato (my happiness), I
am grateful for your love, faith, advice, and patience—all of which kept me going.
My friends
Sara Moradian, I don’t know if words could ever truly express how appreciative I
am of your sisterhood and the continuous support of my never-ending pursuits.
Mehammed Mack, you are my study-partner hero. The joy and enthusiasm you
exude in your research was contagious and motivational for me. Thank you for your
companionship.
Salima Chebbah, I can’t imagine life without you, my kindred spirit. I’m so grateful
to you.
Feras Klenk, I am grateful for your time, support, and constructive feedback. I would
never have made it through the writing process.
Abdullah Baabood, thank you for all that you have given me and for inspiring my
wander’s heart.
vii
viii Acknowledgments
Bushra Al-Maskari, you have a brilliant mind. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish
next. Thank you for being there for me, through the good times and bad, always
encouraging me to keep going.
Riyadh Al-Balushi, my dearest and most faithful friend for over two decades. Thank
you for the laughs we shared over coffee, lunch, and dinner. You are the best, and I
mean it.
Jessie Moritz, you’re simply wonderful. I am grateful for your love and attention to
detail.
Tan Nguyen, Khalid Al Huraibi, Hajo Dekker, Jonathan Cleveland, Neda Bolourchi,
Ray and Christi Lacoste, John Cunneen, Hadil Moosa, and Alice Ambusaidi, thank
you for the support, encouragement, conversations, friendship, laughter, love, hugs,
meals, chocolates, community-service, artistic endeavours, and long nights.
I love you all—‘You are the family I chose’.
My sponsors
I gratefully acknowledge the funding sources for my doctoral studies in 2013 and
that made this manuscript possible. Oman’s Ministry of Higher Education funded
me for four years, during which, I was given a leave of absence from my work in the
Foreign Ministry. Thank you for the opportunity.
My publishers
Finally, I would like to thank Springer Nature—especially Mizanur Rahman and
Alex Campbell—as well as the three anonymous reviewers for their expertise and
assistance throughout all aspects of writing this manuscript.
Contents
1 Securitisation of Energy in Discourse and Practice ................ 1
1.1 Contextualising the Interrelated Themes ....................... 3
1.2 Originality and Contribution to Knowledge ..................... 8
1.3 Book Structure ............................................. 9
2 The Heterogeneity of ‘Energy Security’ .......................... 13
2.1 Approaches to ‘Energy Security’ ............................. 15
2.1.1 Realist Approaches ................................... 15
2.1.2 Liberal Approaches .................................. 20
2.1.3 Constructivist Approaches ............................. 26
2.2 Embedding ‘Energy Security’ in Critical Security Studies ........ 32
2.2.1 The Copenhagen School’s Concept of ‘Security’ .......... 32
2.2.2 The ‘Logic of Emergency’ ............................ 35
2.2.3 Securitising Actors and Audiences ...................... 37
2.2.4 Securitisation Beyond Liberal Democracies .............. 39
2.2.5 The Paris School ..................................... 43
2.3 Approaches to Analysing Postcolonial States ................... 46
2.3.1 Analysing Postcolonial States .......................... 46
2.3.2 Network of Experts .................................. 48
2.3.3 Neoliberalism ....................................... 49
2.3.4 Materiality .......................................... 51
2.3.5 Approach of this Study ............................... 53
2.3.6 Contribution to Methodology .......................... 55
2.3.7 ‘Energy Security’ and the Omani Context ............... 55
2.4 Methodology .............................................. 57
2.4.1 Discourse and Historical Analysis ...................... 58
2.4.2 Specialised Interviewing .............................. 59
2.4.3 Interview Context .................................... 60
2.4.4 Ethical Considerations ................................ 62
ix
x Contents
3 State Formation, Energy, and Security from 1920 to 1970 .......... 69
3.1 Approaches to Studying State Formation in the Gulf ............. 71
3.1.1 Political Economy of the Gulf ......................... 71
3.1.2 Rentierism to Late Rentierism ......................... 73
3.1.3 Authoritarianism and Patriarchy ........................ 76
3.1.4 Democratisation of Oil-Producing States ................ 79
3.2 State Formation, Security, and Oil ............................ 81
3.2.1 Before the Discourse of Energy ........................ 82
3.2.2 Discourse of Oil Begins ............................... 84
3.2.3 Competition Over Concessions ......................... 85
3.2.4 The Affair of the Aitchison Treaties .................... 87
3.2.5 Consolidation Against the Saudis ....................... 89
3.2.6 Imamate Revolt 1955 to 1960 .......................... 91
3.2.7 Instability in Dhofar .................................. 95
4 Competition or Cooperation? Energy Discourse During 1970 to 1989 105
4.1 British–American Competitive Cooperation .................... 111
4.1.1 Oman’s Link to Britain and America .................... 111
4.1.2 The Role of Foreign Consultants and Advisors ........... 115
4.1.3 The 1974 Financial Crisis ............................. 119
4.2 Austerity During the Eighties ................................ 123
4.2.1 Energy Governance .................................. 124
4.2.2 Oil Revenues for Political Alliance ..................... 127
4.2.3 Self-interest Versus the Common Good .................. 131
5 Neoliberalising Energy Post-1990 ................................ 137
5.1 Shades of Neoliberalism ..................................... 138
5.1.1 Towards Neoliberalisation ............................. 140
5.1.2 Misleading Equations ................................. 142
5.1.3 Discourses of Corruption .............................. 144
5.1.4 The Neoliberal Manifesto ............................. 145
5.1.5 The Rule of Experts .................................. 149
5.2 The ‘Limits of Oil’ as a Security Problem ...................... 151
5.2.1 Shell Scandal ........................................ 155
5.2.2 Port and Free-Zone Development ....................... 158
5.2.3 Privatising Electricity ................................. 160
5.2.4 To Diversify, or Not .................................. 162
5.2.5 Celebrating the Security Forces ........................ 166
6 Energy and Social Development Post-Bouazizi to 2015 ............. 173
6.1 The ‘Omani Spring’ ........................................ 174
6.1.1 Before the Escalation ................................. 174
6.1.2 The Bouazizi Effect .................................. 177