The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 -- 1 placed the questions of Kuwait's origins and statehood under the spotlight as never before, making them a matter of pressing concern both for the Kuwaitis themselves and for the world at large. During the 1990s a great deal of scholarly effort has been focused on the particular circumstances of Kuwait's emergence as a state, and as a result much new material has been brought to light. This series of papers, presented at Peterhouse College, Cambridge, on 19 May 1995 by five leading scholars in the field, explores the historical, political and social processes which governed the birth, survival, prosperity and ultimate sovereignty of this unique Arab maritime polity.
