Dīwāniyyas have a longstanding history in Kuwaiti culture. They are places of social gathering where men sit together to discuss issues relevant to them. Since Kuwaiti men attend dīwāniyya sessions on a regular basis, this habit of dīwāniyya visiting has become regarded as “a given” in everyday Kuwaiti life. This paper demonstrates how the term dīwāniyyashould be defined as both the literal space of the room, and the practice of gathering. Employing Pierre Bourdieu’s theories on capital and habitus, it shows how the dīwāniyya, as interlinked space and social practice, has persisted despite the advent of oil wealth, modernisation, and urbanisation in Kuwait. By historicising the dīwāniyya and using it as a case study, this also demonstrates how modernisation represents both continuous and discontinuous elements of tradition. More importantly, the paper aims to provide an overdue elucidation of the dīwāniyya’s persistent and changing social roles, and by extension, a deeper understanding of Kuwaiti society, both past and present.