The Gulf is seldom at the center of discussions on Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA). In the face of contemporary erasures/elisions that serve to narrow our vision of ‘the Gulf’ to questions of petrodollar-driven economies, migrant labor, and religious conservatism, the significance of the Gulf is reflected in diverse new research agendas. The center of gravity of SWANA is moving towards the Gulf, with its growing regional and global influence; its model of development unfettered by financial constraints; and its status as a hub of innovation in surveillance tech, architecture, finance, and weapons development. This conference seeks to center the Gulf in our discussions of not only the region but also more broadly as the world moves toward a system of multipolarity. The panels will address themes around authoritarianism, surveillance and resistance; technology, infrastructures and the built environment; and the rising geopolitical and diplomatic influence of the Gulf in the world.