Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Foundations of the modern state -- primary political role of Ibadism -- Tribes and tribal confederations -- demographic Legacy of the Omani maritime empire -- 'pax Britannica' -- 2. Two legitimacies and no state -- break with the principle of the Sultan as primus inter pares -- new economic order -- Imamate: the myth of 'traditional democracy' -- 3. founding conflicts of the modern national identity -- end of the Imamate (1955-59) -- Dhofar war (1965-75) -- 1960s: the decade of remoteness -- 4. Legitimisation by the welfare state -- Oil as fuel of the 'development war' -- Building a new framework of collective references -- state as a driving force in economic development -- Consolidation of business positions inherited from the twentieth century -- 5. National identity building -- standardisation of cultural references -- historical legacy at the heart of the new national identity -- staged national heritage -- 6. reinvented political tradition -- encapsulation of local legitimacies into the state -- Council of Oman (Majlis 'Uman) -- sultanistic regime? -- 7. Laborious renewal of the basis of the regime -- ambiguities of the political opening up -- Nationalisation of employment (ta''min) -- What substitutes for oil? -- 8. National identity challenged? -- Deepening cleavages -- In quest of more state -- Modern 'asabiyyat.

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