Dawn Chatty, Mandana Limbert, and the Anthropological Studies in the Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

This paper investigates the anthropological research on Omani society, represented by a package of studies conducted by two American anthropologists: Dawn Chatty and Mandana Lambert. Working on these studies allows us to trace certain characteristics of the American anthropological research focused on the Global South, and on the Middle East in particular. These studies followed an anthropological approach that is usually devoted to culture and practical issues in areas like health, administration, and economic development. They date back to the 1990s and reflect the moment in which they were written and the interests of the two researchers in the phenomena that caught their attention. Therefore, the topics pursued were prevalent in a society undergoing transformation or on the path to development following the ascent of Sultan Qaboos bin Said to the throne in 1970.