Martin Hvidt

CV

Martin Hvidt

Contact information:  

Office phone: +45 6550 2821; e-mail: [email protected]

Formal education

•  AFS International Scholarship, Beloit High School, Wisconsin 1975-76.
•  'International Year' University of Aalborg, 1984-85.
•  M.Sc. (cultural geography) Inst. of Geography, University of Aarhus, 1987.
•  MBA. Inst. of Business Economics, University of Aarhus, 1988.
•  Ph.D. Inst. of History and Civilization, Odense University and Colorado State University, Fort Collins 1995.
•  Arabic summer school (9 weeks), Middlebury College, Vermont, 1997.
•  Assessed qualified for a full professorship (chair) in Modern Middle East Studies by an international assessment committee, August 2011.
•  Research Management Course, Copenhagen Business School, CBS Executive, Spring 2013.
• Dr. phil. Higher Doctoral Dissertation (Doktordisputats), defended 5 April 2019.

 Current and previous positions

•  Trainee, United Nations, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Ghana, 1985.
•  Assistant professor (substitute), Center for Contemporary Middle East Studies, Odense University, 1988-90.
•  Ph.D. Scholar, Inst. of History and Civilization, Odense University and Colorado State University, Fort Collins 1991-94.
•  Assistant professor, Center for Contemporary Middle East Studies, Odense University, 1995-98.
•  Consultant, World Bank, Washington D.C., Spring semester, 1996.
•  Academic Secretary, Rectors (Provost) office, Odense University, 1998-2000.
•  Senior consultant, World Bank, Washington D.C. Spring semester, 2004.
•  Associate Professor, Center for Contemporary Middle East Studies, University of Southern  Denmark (former Odense University), 2000 - August 2013.
•  Full professor, Zayed University, College of Sustainability Sciences and Humanities, August 2013 – July 2016
•  Associate Professor, Center for Contemporary Middle East Studies, University of Southern Denmark, August 2016 -> 

Position of trust

•  Head of Department, Center for Contemporary Middle East Studies, 2000-2003.
•  Board Member, the Association of Development Researchers in Denmark (FAU), 1995-2000 and 2003 to present.
•  Chair, College committee for information technology, July 2004 to August 2013.
•  Executive committee member and Danish representative in the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), 2004 - 2011.
•  Member, working group under Danish Universities (former Rektorkollegiet) that established the aid initiative “Building Stronger Universities,” 2009-2010.
•  Chair, working group to establish OpenScience Policies for three Institutes under the Faculty of Humanities, fall 2018.
•  Member, working group on e-science and digital humanities, set up by the Dean of Humanities, SDU, 1 February 2019

Editorial work

Book Manuscripts or other longer formats: Pearson Longman, Center for International and Regional Studies, Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, Qatar. London School of Economics and Politics.

Consultancies and commissioned studies

I have carried out commissioned studies for FAO (1984/85); for the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), 1990 and 1992; for The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark twice during 2006, for the World Bank (WB) in 1996 and 2004, London School of Economics (LSE), 2011-2012; and Emirates Policy Center/Arab Strategy Forum, fall 2018.

Service at Zayed University (2013-2016)

University Assignments

• 2014-2016: Member University Faculty Promotion Advisory Committee.
• 2014-2015: Curriculum Planning Committee. Under charge from the Prime Minister’s Office the group established the course; Introduction to Entrepreneurship.
• 2014-2015: Member of the University Steering Committee that oversaw the implementation of the ‘Graders First’ computer system.

College level assignments

• 2013-2016: Chair of College Promotion Committee, College of Social Sciences and Humanities
• 2013-2014: Member of Hiring Committee for three faculty positions, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
• 2014-2015: Member of Faculty Affairs Committee, College of Social Sciences and Humanities
• 2015-2016:  Member of Hiring Committee for three faculty positions in social sciences, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
• 2015-2016:  College Council, College of Sustainability Sciences & Humanities
• 2015-2016: Chair Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Curriculum Committee which established a new Minor in Middle East and Gulf Studies including some new courses

Research

My research over the past 25 years has been related to these four broad topics/projects.

1) Gulf rising. Developmental patterns in the resource rich economies of the Arab Gulf Region: This research focuses on the broader development process and economic diversification currently undertaken in the Gulf states: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE. More specific this research project strives to document and analyze variations in developmental strategies, patterns and outcomes for the six GCC countries. This is done in order to explain why such divergence emerges over time.

2) Dubai: A Middle Eastern Developmental State: This research aims to analyze the developmental process of Dubai in order to specify the key elements of the 'Dubai model' of development. The project looks closely at the political and organizational set-up in Dubai and furthermore the interrelationship between the state and the private sector as it unfolds in society. The theoretical ambition of this project is to contribute to the theoretical debate of the 'developmental state.'

3) The Middle East and North Africa Region in a Globalized World: The research focus on political and economic aspects in the MENA region which either act as barriers against further globalization or stimulates globalization. This research furthermore has an explicit focus on magnitudes and impacts of foreign direct investments (FDI) in the region.

4) Irrigation management: Social, technical and institutional issues related to the transformation of large-scale irrigation systems toward greater efficiency through active participation of the farmers in allocation and distribution of irrigation water. Furthermore, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) issues are included.

Research grants

 August 2015 - July 2016: Research Incentive Fund (RIF), Zayed University. Funding the research project Leap-frogging into the 'Knowledge Society' - The role of UAE media in the translation, transformation and transportation of research- based knowledge to the public. Charlotte N. Wien (principal investigator), Martin Hvidt (co-investigator). Amount 191 205 DKK.

January 2014- December 2015. Research Incentive Fund (RIF), Zayed University. Funding the project The Dubai Model Revisited. Martin Hvidt (Principal Investigator), Farhi Marir, Sara Chehab, Nikolaous Rachniotis (co-investigators). Amount 171 135 DKK.

August 2010 - July 2014. Danish Social Science Research Council. Funding for the research project: Gulf rising. Developmental patterns in the resource rich economies of the Arab Gulf Region. Individual research project.The funding included field work in each of the six Gulf states. Amount: 2 101 450 DKK.

August 2006-December 2007: Danish Social Science Research Council (project no 275-06-0106). Financing of the research project Dubai: A Middle Eastern Developmental State. Individual research project.Included fieldwork in Dubai for 4 months.Amount: 549 077 DKK.

January 2006 - December 2008: The Danish Research Board for Development Studies (RUF). Three-year grant to cover costs associated with representing the Danish development research community in the European Association of Development, Research and Training Institutes (EADI). Project no. 104.Dan.8-534. Amount: 63 000 DKK.

January 1992 - March 1995: The Danish Research Board for Development Studies (RUF). Full funding of a 3-year Ph.D. scholarship. Individual research project.Amount: approximately 1 200 000 DKK.

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Forskningsområde

Til Pressen

Mit fagområde er økonomiske og sociale forhold i Mellemøsten. Jeg svarer på spørgsmål om samfundsøkonomi, udvikling, samfundsplanlægning, Visioner og udviklingsplaner, befolkningsspørgsmål, uddannelse, olie, vandressourcer, handel og miljømæssige forhold for de mellemøstlige lande generelt.

Jeg er specialiseret i De arabiske Golf lande, dvs. Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabien og De forenede Arabiske Emirater (Dubai, Abu Dhabi). Jeg har boet mindst en måned i hvert af disse lande og har fornyeligt arbejdet som Professor i Dubai i tre år (2013-2016). Med andre ord, jeg mener at have betydelig indsigt i ikke blot økonomiske, men også sociale og politiske forhold i regionen.