Wikipedia:Peer review/History of Dubai/archive1

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History of Dubai[edit]

This peer review discussion has been closed.
Hi guys, I've just rewritten this & am aiming for GA with it I hope, so any comments would be very much appreciated. Thanks! Thanks, Dottydotdot (talk) 11:10, 1 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

User:AreJay's comments: I'll try and focus more on content rather than structure, since I'm sure you'll get a lot of feedback on standard Wiki structure.

  • Can we conclusively say the "history of Dubai began approximately in 3000 BC"? What's our definition of "history" here? As mentioned further in the article, mangrove swamps discovered in the area predate 3000 BC. This conflicts with the introductory statement. Did you mean history of settlement? DONE
  • Is "re engergisation" a word? :) Maybe go with something simpler? (revitalization? resettlement?)DONE
  • Al Abu Fasala is a dynasty. The Bani Yas is a tribe. (the article mentions both as "clan").DONE
  • The sentence about the 1894 fire is a little long...maybe split this into 2 sentences (the issue of the fire & Dubai becoming a British protectorate are separate thoughts anyway)DONE
  • There seems to be no mention of the Britsh East India Company setting up shop in Dubai and the fact that the British Trucial Oman representative was based out of Dubai.(SORT OF)DONE
  • The dredging sentence is a little unclear. Maybe rephrase? It basically allowed any vessel (as opposed to any boat) to sail through/dock at the old Dubai port.DONE
  • There was also a long standing dispute with Sharjah, which I believe was only reconciled in the 1990s.DONE
  • As far as the formation of the UAE, I think it would make sense to mention the rights/obligations of Dubai and Abu Dhabi vis-a-vis the federation. I.e., Dubai gave up its military (which was then united with that of Abu Dhabi's to form the armed forces of the UAE), but retained (along with Ras al Khaimah, an independent court system, not under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the UAE) and independence on issues of finance. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai retained veto rights over matters of the federation.
  • All indications are that Dubai was aligned with the West prior to Rashid's death. Where was this referenced from?DONE
  • The Sheikh Zayed Road image (c. 1990) cites a source that doesn't exist. I've seen this image before at the Dubai Museum. I don't think it was ever released as a CC image.DONE
  • General comment: The text appears to be a bit choppy. I know cleaning this up isn't easy at all, given the gaps in recorded history. But maybe try to come up with a smoother transition b/w sentences where possible? Thanks AreJay (talk) 05:08, 2 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for those! Not sure what to put in the first sentence; I'll work on that. Haven't got time now, but I'll put in the stuff about Sharjah, alignment with the West & the status of Dubai in the UAE. I'll try & find the photo/another. Thank you! Dottydotdot (talk) 08:07, 2 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry about the late response. As far as the intro, maybe take a look at History articles listed in WP:FA to see how they were written up. About your question on the 1990 Dubai image: yes, I do believe those websites were violating copyright law; enforcing intellectual property is a bit of a problem on the internet though. If you're not planning on listing this article on GA before next week, I'll try and read through the article again and work on a few areas this weekend. Any further questions, let me know. Thanks! AreJay (talk) 22:33, 3 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That would be very kind, thanks! Dotty••| 10:23, 4 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]
With regards to your comments, I'm not sure about putting in about Dubai's position in the UAE, mainly becuase this is described thoroughly in the Dubai article & I don't feel that it should be in the History of Dubai-but if you think it should, I cede to your greater experience. I see the problem with the picture & will sort that out over the coming days. Dotty••| 10:32, 4 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Let me rephrase my initial comments, I don't think I put them in proper context. In the section where we discuss the formation of the UAE, I think a line or two about how Dubai went from being a sovereign state historically, to being incorporated into a federation would give the formation of the UAE perspective. Especially given the rivalry b/w Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Dubai & Sharjah. Dubai was very hesitant to join any confederacy where Abu Dhabi would be given primacy and insisted that it (Dubai) be allowed to maintain its own military. The British and the Saudis arbitrated the issue, and a compromise was reached. Abu Dhabi would remain capital of the UAE and the army would be federalized. However, Dubai was permitted to have its own court system, which was not answerable to the supreme court of the UAE. In addition, Dubai and AD were the only two emirates given veto power over issues of national importance in the UAE. My suggestion therefore was to approach this from a historical context as opposed to explaining the current status of Dubai vis-a-vis the UAE in the article. Hope that makes it a little clearer. Thanks AreJay (talk) 14:58, 4 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I've put in a different photo-as explained in the edit summary. Dotty••| 10:46, 4 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

(unindent)Aha, I see your point, yep I'll get to that & do it. Thanks! Dotty••| 15:23, 4 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]