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The political economy of the United Arab Emirates is firmly rooted in patterns of social behavior, ways of negotiating and disarming dissent that are the foundational institutions of its political structure. These informal institutions are organic, but not outside of the norm of any developing state. There are a number of ways they might structure change and repress dissent, including, but in no way limited to: the formation and contestation of civil society organizations, demands for citizenship or legal status change among expatriates, a regional and outward focus on military power, and a realignment or reinterpretation of federalism. Young argues that the conflicts surrounding the finance, energy and security sectors in the United Arab Emirates are results of institutional constraints (both formal and informal) which are exacerbated by federal tensions between emirates, international political alliances tied to investment opportunities and access, and demographic challenges.
