The 1970s saw the emergence and subsequent proliferation across the Arabian Peninsula of 'national museums', institutions aimed at creating social cohesion and affiliation to the state within a disparate population. Representing the Nation examines the wide-ranging use of exhibitionary forms of national identity projection via consideration of their motivations, implications (current and future), possible historical backgrounds, official and unofficial meanings, and meanings for both the user/visitor and the multiple creators. The book responds to, due to the importance placed on tradition, heritage and national identity across all the states of the Peninsula, and the growth of re-imagined and new museums, the need for far greater discussion and research in these areas.

Professor Jane Bristol Rhys, Zayed University Abu Dhabi: The chapters and framework are the result of a conference last summer on the same topic. The editors have obviously selected what they think are the strongest contributors for this volume. Generally, I think that the coverage of topics is good - so overall opinion is good.