Dubai, the Las Vegas of the Middle East, has a distinctive and inviolable criterion when it comes to development in its city: everything must be “world class,” which means number one in The Guinness Book of Records. Thus Dubai is building the world’s largest theme park, the biggest mall, the highest building, and the first sunken hotel among other firsts.
But the building of this city is rife with stories of modern-day slavery and organized crime. Mike Davis, the author of important books like Dead Cities and City of Quartz, wrote a great piece posted on Mother Jones’ website. Read it here.
Lagre(ish) images of two Dubai projects:
Burj Dubal skyscraper
Jebel Ali Palm Island