And Now.... BAHRAIN
Teacher Page

WHY BAHRAIN?
Bahrain, a small Arab kingdom in the Middle East, is not often mentioned in U.S. textbooks. But its recent experience highlights a question that is central to social studies education: In countries with a strong traditional culture, what impact are the forces of global change now exerting? What tends to hold? What yields? Can the two truly coexist?

The Student Text Page for the "And Now.... Bahrain" unit frames those questions for students and offers them clues for further research into a country that — small as it is — has an important role in its region.

CURRICULUM STANDARDS
Besides its attention to the issue of tradition and change, this unit offers students in Grades 9-12 a chance to work on the following skills, cited from the National Geography Standards (NGS) and from Expectations of Excellence (EOE), the guidelines provided by the National Council for the Social Studies. Thus, students using this unit should be better able to:

• "Identify and discuss historic examples of exploration ... of the world in a quest for resources...." — Standard 16-B (NGS)

• "Describe how new technologies, new markets, and revised perceptions of resources act as agents of change in a region...." — Standard 13-C (NGS)

• "Analyze the role of specialization and exchange in economic processes." — "Production, Distribution, & Consumption" (EOE)

• "Explain conditions and motivations that contribute to conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among ... societies and nations." — "Global Connections" (EOE)

CRITICAL TERMS
In this unit, names and titles follow Bahraini usage — as do some, but not all, resources that students may consult. Thus, those who heard about the "Persian Gulf" during the 1991 Gulf War will discover that this body of water (in which Bahrain is located) is also called the "Arabian Gulf." (See the Bahrain Map Page.) And those researching the "Hawar Islands" may find them indexed under "Howar Islands." Students will also note that some maps show the Hawars as disputed territory. You may want to tell them that, on March 16, 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that the islands are, indeed, part of Bahraini territory.

FOUR BIG QUESTIONS
While the questions at the top of the Student Text Page are intended to prompt research, they can also be used as the focus for a class study unit. You might introduce the unit by showing students a map of Southwest Asia and asking them to identify Bahrain's location with reference to its (a) latitude and longitude and (b) immediate neighbors.

1.   "Why is 'location' an important clue to Bahrain's history?" The opening paragraph of the Student Text Page, followed by the sections labeled "Traditions" and "Arab Influence," will help students answer this question. Key statement: "Bahrain is a vital link on trade routes between the Middle East and India." You might want to tell students what that means in today's world. Much of the Gulf region's petroleum now passes through Bahrain, where it is loaded onto tankers for shipment to industrial ports in Asia — and other continents, too.

In far earlier times, strategic islands, such as Bahrain, could be held (or "protected") easily. Thus, early Sumerians used Bahrain as a port of call. A millennium later, the Dilmun civilization is thought to have been centered around Bahrain. And, closer to modern times, Britain's 19th-century interest in Bahrain was prompted by its desire to prevent Persian, Egyptian, and Russian influence in the region. In fact, until several decades ago, Iran claimed sovereignty over Bahrain — an echo of its forays there, several centuries earlier. Notwithstanding, recent relations between Bahrain and Iran have considerably improved.

2.   "What role does Bahrain play in the Middle East region today?" Economically — as the "New developments" section of the Student Text Page indicates — Bahrain is today a source of technology, industrial production, and financial services for its regional neighbors. It is also a growing tourist destination and a host to international conferences. In foreign policy, Bahrain opposes extremism. It has close relations with the USA and is, in fact, the administrative base for the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. Many Western nations view Bahrain as a bridge to other members of the Gulf region.

3.   "Bahrain has few resources, yet thrives in a global economy: What's its secret?" Bahrain is a small country. (See Bahrain Data Page.) And when students research it, they'll find it has very few resources other than location. Even its oil reserves are diminishing: Indeed, much of the oil Bahrain now refines is piped in from Saudi Arabia. But students reading the "New developments" section should be able to infer the secret of Bahrain's economic success: It "stays ahead of the curve" in introducing new technology and new priorities for development. The King Fahad Causeway alone (see Bahrain Map Page) has opened Bahrain to a Middle East market of 100 million people. And its own market is wide-open. In fact, among the sources students can find in an internet search under "economic freedom," the Heritage Foundation indexes Bahrain's economic freedom as the 15th highest in the world.

4.   "How can it be true that both 'tradition' and 'change' have a major impact on Bahrain?" Clearly, both forces "coexist" in Bahrain. Economically, it is open to global changes in technology and trade. Culturally, it is a traditional Arab Muslim society. And politically, there has been gradual change since Bahrain's independence in 1971.

Much of this accommodation to modern democracy is recent, not yet reported in sources that students often consult. Thus, you might tell them: In 1992, Shaikh Isa bin Sulman Al-Khalifa (the present king's father) created a Consultative Council to propose legislation and advise his government — which also included a prime minister and cabinet. The Council, whose members represented different segments of Bahraini society, was expanded in 1996. And the pace of democratization stepped up when Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa succeeded his father in 1999. Shaikh Hamad called for the drafting of a National Action Charter, which proposed several revisions in Bahrain's constitution. Adopted in the 2001 plebiscite, the Charter's most significant revisions included the establishment of Bahrain as a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral legislature.

MORE SOURCES
The Embassy of Bahrain has its own site. And for occasional articles on Bahrain, representing viewpoints from within the region, you might try browsing the electronic Arabic News. Here are a few other sources that LE found of interest:

"Bahrain." Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000.

"Bahrain." World Book Encyclopedia. 2001.

"Bahrain." World Factbook. CIA annual.

"Bahrain Leads the Way." Middle East. February 2001. Page 13.

"Bahrain: News and Information" — an excellent newsletter. For current topics, start with recent editions.

The UN's current Human Development Report, which ranks Bahrain 39th among 173 countries for "high human development," is a good source on quality-of-life trends in contemporary nations. Click on "Human Development Index," under "Press Kit." Or, use your computer's PDF reader to access the entire report.

Bahrain Student Text Page | Bahrain Map Page | Bahrain Data Page

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