Transformations of contemporary Emirati society through the prism of representations of France

Abstract

The United Arab Emirates has undergone rapid development since its establishment in 1971, and this has given rise to profound social transformations in just half a century. The inauguration of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in 2006 is part of a long tradition of openness to foreign countries and a testament to the attraction of young generations of Emiratis to French culture. Focusing on the field of social psychology, this article examines the cultural representations of France of Emirati students who are studying French as a Foreign Language and wish to pursue higher education in French. Through quantitative research, we examine a number of current representative dynamics that highlight sweeping changes in Emirati society. These changes are characterized by a maintenance of traditions on one hand, and an attraction to modernity on the other. Our analysis of the open questions allowed us to identify a set of themes, to illustrate core meanings and to observe that the construction of Emirati students' representations of the French language and culture reveal the particularities of the Emirati identity and their integration with Emirati values and social practices.