Director of the Centre for Bahrain Studies at the University of Bahrain. He served as Assistant Secretary-General for Cabinet Affairs and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Political Development, Acting Secretary-General of the Award for Service to Humanity and a consultant to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme. He is a member of a number of regional and international scientific societies and a member of the editorial staff of academic geographical and historical journals. He arbitrated a number of books, and research papers. In addition, he published a number of scientific publications of books and research papers submitted to conferences, seminars and workshops on the political geography and modern history of Bahrain and the Arabian Gulf. He is a Professor of Political Geography, had his D.Phil. in Political Geography from the University of Oxford, UK. He received the First Order of Excellence in December 2012.
Main Publications:
- “Resource Management in Bahrain in the Pre-oil Era”, paper presented at ‘Water and Land Management in the Islamic Societies Symposium’, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, University of Oxford, 2 – 9 March 1989.
- “Climatic Fluctuations and Natural Disasters in Arabia between the Mid-17th and early 20th Centuries”, Geojournal, V. 37, No. 1, September 1995.
- The Regional Identity of Bahrain: A Historical-Geographical study, Annals of the Faculty of Arts, v. xvi, Monograph 16, Kuwait: Kuwait University, 1996.
- Tarikh Al Bahrain Al Hadith (1500-2002AD.) (in Arabic), in partnership with Bashir Zain Al ‘Abidin, Bahrain: University of Bahrain, Centre for Historical Studies, 2008.
- Al Qaid Al Muqatil : Shaikh ‘Ali bin Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa (1230-1286 A.H./ 1814-1869 AD.) (in Arabic), in partnership with Bashir Zain Al ‘Abidin, Bahrain: University of Bahrain, Centre for Historical Studies, 2010.
- The Al-Khalifa’s Rule in the Qatar Peninsula: A Study in Political Geography (in Arabic), Annals of the Centre For Bahrain Studies, University of Bahrain, Bahrain, March 2019.
- “The Traditional Concept of Territoriality among the Dawasir in Bahrain 1845- 1928 AD/ 1261-1346 AH” (in Arabic), Liwa Journal, No. 22, 10th edition, December 2019, National Archives, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
- Faculty member at the University of Bahrain
- Conducted ethnographic field works in the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
- Fellow of the British Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain
- Fellow of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies
- Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society
- Worked as an Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Information, Secretary-General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, and editor-in-chief of Al Bahrain Al Thaqafia Magazine
- He taught at the Royal Academy of Police
- Received Order of Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, 2000
- He has a number of books and studies on history and theories of anthropology, and other disciplines on the Arab Gulf societies including the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. He has also published a number of research and studies in a number of Arab and foreign periodicals
Research and literature
In Arabic:
- Land Tenure Systems among the Bedouin of the Emirates: An Anthropological study, Annals of the Centre for Bahrain Studies, Monograph 3, Vol. 2, Centre for Bahrain Studies, University of Bahrain, June 2021.
- The Arabian Gulf: Anthropological Studies, 2nd edition, Ninawa Institute for Research & Publishing, Damascus, 2019.
- French Anthropology: History and Perspectives, Ninawa Institute for Research & Publishing, Damascus, 2019.
- Economy and Society among the Bedouin of the Emirates: An Anthropological Study, Centre for Bahrain Studies, University of Bahrain, Bahrain, 2018.
- Bahrain, Society and Culture: Anthropological Studies, Arab Institute for Research & Publishing, Beirut, 2016.
- Claude Lévi-Strauss: A Reading of Contemporary Anthropological Thought, Ninawa Institute for Research & Publishing, 3rd edition, 2016.
- Manama, the Arab City: An Anthropological Critique, Centre for Bahrain Studies, University of Bahrain, Bahrain, 2015.
- The Emirates Bedouins of the Hajar Mountains: An Essay on Historical Anthropology, Annalss of the Arts and Social Science, Monograph 260, Vol. 27, Kuwait University, Kuwait, 2007.
- Anthropological Notebook: Biographies and Conversations, Arab Institute for Research & Publishing, Beirut, 2nd edition, 2004.
In English:
- “Religion, Identity and Citizenship: The Predicament of Shi’a Fundamentalism in Bahrain”, Central European Journal of International and Security Studies (CEJISS). 8, No. 3, 2-14, pp. 97-129
- “Agriculture and Pastoralism in the Hajar Mountains of the Emirates: A Historical Ethnography”, Journal of the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies, 35, No. 135, 2009, pp. 17-85
- “The Muslim Qadi and the Peasant Bedouin of the Emirates”, New Arabian Studies, 6, 2004, pp. 156-186
- “Aspects of Social and Symbolic Boundaries Amongst the Bedouin of the Emirates”, Journal of the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies, 27, No. 103, 2001, pp. 49-87
- “Anthropological Approaches to Social Control in Islamic Tribal Societies”, Dilmun, 16, 1993-94, pp. 66-86
- Faculty member at the University of Bahrain
- Headed the Department of Social Sciences at the College of Arts, University of Bahrain (December 2013-January 2019).
- Published many research papers in economic and social geography, and geographic information systems and participated in many international, regional and local conferences and symposia with research and working papers.
- Member of many
- The Egyptian Geographical Society.
- The GCC Geographical Society.
- The Geographic Society of the Islamic World.
- Participated in several scientific and advisory committees of a number of projects:
- The National Atlas Committee of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
- Local expert and consultant for the Rapid Urban Sector Profiling for Sustainability (RUSPS) for Muharraq and Al-Wusta (Middle) Governorates. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) in the Kingdom of (2010).
- Participant in the team of consultants and regional partners, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) in the discussion of the State of Arab Cities Report (2012).
- Chief Editor of the National Report on Housing and Urban Development in the Kingdom of Bahrain, presented at the 3rd United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), Quito – Ecuador (2016).
- A member of the national team and Chief Editor of the report “Progress Achieved in Implementing the New Urban Agenda (NUA) for the Kingdom of Bahrain (2021).
- Teaching and lecturing at Isa Royal Military College and the Royal Command, Staff and National Defense College.
Research and publications
In Arabic:
- Development: Concept and Approach, Journal of the Faculty of Arts, Menoufia University, Issue No. 16, January 1994.
- Geography between Theory and Practice, Proceedings of the Second Conference for Scientific Research (Research for Development), Deanship of Scientific Research, University of Bahrain, March 20-21, 2007.
- Towards Availing from Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Elections, with Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Abdullah, Conference on Modern Technologies and Sustainable Development, The GCC Geographic Society, Qatar University: March 9-11, 2010.
- Heritage and Historical Areas: Opportunities and Challenges. Proceedings of the 4th Scientific Symposium of the GCC Geographical Society: Geography and GCC States, Al Madina Al Monwara , December 10-13, 2013.
- Geography and Development in a Changing Reality. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of the College of Social Sciences at Kuwait University (Development Challenges: A Future Vision), Kuwait University, November 21-23, 2017.
- The National Report on Housing and Urban Development in the Kingdom of Bahrain 2016 (UN Habitat), Chief editor.
- Workbook of Citizenship and Development in Bahrain, Centre for Bahrain Studies, University of Bahrain, 1st Edition, 2018.
- Chief Editor of the report titled “Progress Achieved in Implementing the New Urban Agenda (NUA) for the Kingdom of Bahrain (2021).
In English:
- Land Reclamation in Bahrain: A Challenging Issue, Journal of Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Univ. of Alexandria, Damanhur Branch, Vol. 1, No. II, 1998, pp. 1-40.
- Economic Diversification in Bahrain: Relevance and Implications, Bulletin of the Egyptian Geographical Society, TOME LXXII, Vol. 72, 1999, pp. 39-77.
- UOB Experience in GIS Education. Proceedings of the Third National GIS Symposium in Saudi Arabia, April 7 – 9, 2008, Le Meridian, Al Khobar.
- Developing Land in Muharraq: Reclaiming the Sea. Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Municipal Management and Sustainable Urban Development in Arab cities, Kuwait, May 7-9, 2012.
- Heritage and Historical Areas: Opportunities and Challenges. Proceedings of the 4th Scientific Symposium of the GCC Geographical Society: Geography and GCC States, Al Madina Al Monwara, December 10-13, 2013.
- Developing Land for Urban Development in Muharraq-Bahrain: Land Reclamation Experience. Proceedings of the 1st Arab Housing and Urban Development Ministerial Forum, Cairo, 20-22 December 2015.
