This paper explains why there is a need for Gulf Studies as an academic field for the scientific study of the Gulf region within the long tradition of Area Studies. The regions of Area Studies have been redefined and reshaped with changes in the international political and economic order. New regions have often gained prominence in the field of Area Studies due to its geopolitical and economic imperatives in global affairs. It is important to note, however, that not all emerging regions have received the same level of academic attention as the field of Area Studies. The Gulf region is a case in point. One of the fastest-changing and most important economic and political regions in the world, the Gulf region is rich in culture, history, and resources. Still, it is also one of the least understood. As the Gulf states have undergone unprecedented social, economic, and political changes, they have also become instrumental in the transformation of other regions that share significant flows of goods, capital, and labor. This paper argues that a complex set of forces and means that has wrought the social, economic, and political changes in the Gulf region deserves new independent attention within broader Area Studies. This paper explains why there is a need for Gulf Studies within the academic field of Area Studies. The paper reports that while a Southern perspective on Gulf Studies is steadily evolving with the establishment of research and academic programs on Gulf studies in the region, it is essential to maintain academic impartiality and independence in the production of knowledge on the Gulf region. The paper holds the view that the field of Gulf studies would greatly benefit from finding its new academic homes in the universities of the Gulf region under study.