DOCSLIB.ORG

SUKKAR Atif-Theses Nosignature.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

POLITICAL REFORM AND ITS IMPACT ON POLITICAL STABILITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA DURING THE PERIOD FROM 1990 TO 2010 by Atif Abdullah Sukkar Master of Development Administration (Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA) Bachelor of Political Science (King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, the KSA) A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development, School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Victoria University as the requirement of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (August, 2010) i ABSTRACT This research investigates the process of political reform in Saudi Arabia. Central to the study is an examination of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia‘s constitutional reforms implemented between 1990 and 2010, focusing on the Consultative Council (Majlis al-shūrā) and municipal councils as case studies. The research analyses the objectives, values and concerns that have informed the Kingdom‘s policies of political reform. Also, the study examines the extent to which Saudi Government reforms have responded to internal and external pressures for more far reaching reform and democratization. The study investigates how the events of the 1990-1991 Gulf War, the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Global Financial Crisis have influenced the direction of the Saudi Government‘s political reforms. Furthermore, the study examines how the Saudi Government dealt with various key stakeholders, co-opting some and excluding others from the reform process. It is argued that the Saudi Government‘s political reforms have been limited. These limitations refer to the government‘s objective to undertake reforms that do not lead to increased social mobilisation through independent political institutions but instead seek to preserve power and sustain the government‘s legitimacy. The Saudi Government has kept the Consultative Council and municipal councils under tight control, limiting their independence and hindering any social mobilisation that might influence the decision-making process. The government‘s ability to manage its limited, top-down institutional reforms can be contrasted with the scale and pace of social and cultural change in Saudi society, partly generated by government policies combined with rapid economic development over four decades. It is argued that the revival of tribal identities among the younger generation demonstrates how the penetration of new information technology platforms has facilitated social change, largely outside the control of government. ii STUDENT DECLARATION ―I, Atif Abdullah Sukkar, declare that the PhD thesis entitled (Political reform and its impact on political stability: A case study of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period from 1990 to 2010) is no more than 100,000 words in length including quotes and exclusive of tables, figures, appendices, bibliography, references and footnotes. This thesis contains no material that has been submitted previously, in whole or in part, for the award of any other academic degree or diploma. Except where otherwise indicated, this thesis is my own work‖. Signature Date iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Without the help of the almighty Allah with everything, in addition to the guidance, support and encouragement of my family, relatives and many friends, I would not have finished this PhD thesis. I would like to dedicate this dissertation to Allah, and then to my principal supervisor Dr. Richard Chauvel, School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Victoria University, who contributed so much effort over almost five years assisting me to complete my thesis. Without Dr. Chauvel‘s guidance, through the most beautiful and difficult of times, I could not have finished this work. His great personality, his generosity with time and ideas, plus his wisdom and experience, helped me to successfully complete my thesis. I would like to thank him for all his support and especially the patience that he showed me. In addition, I am grateful to Dr. Khaled Al-Habbas of the Department of Political Science, King Abdulaziz University, who provided a great deal of support and suggestions. He allowed me to use his Ph.D. which proved to be a valuable resource. I must also thank Dr. Omer Alsharqi for his assistance in completing the forms necessary for ethical approval. Thanks also to Professor Ron Adams for his assistance in helping me to complete the requirements of my oral presentation to confirm my candidature. I would like to express special thanks to Victoria University for accepting me into its doctoral program and for providing its facilities, and the School of Social Sciences and Psychology for helping me to develop as a scholar. I would like to thank all my friends who have contributed to and helped me with this thesis. A special thanks to those from Saudi Arabia, the Majlis al-shūrā members, who gave me their valuable time, experience and insights. In this regard, I would like to thank Professor Sadakah Fadel and Dr. Mazen Balilah. Also, a special thanks to all my colleagues in the Political Science Department in the Faculty of Economics and Administration, King Abdulaziz University, who encouraged me to complete my Ph.D. A special thanks to Dr. Foud Baradah who made a great effort when he was head of the department to appoint me as a member of the academic staff. Finally, iv great thanks to my brother, Mr. Adnan Abdullah Sukkar, for his help and support before and after my father‘s death; my brother sustained both myself and my family during my study, especially while I was in Australia. v DEDICATION It is a pleasure to record my gratitude to all those who gave me the inspiration to complete this study. This thesis would not have been completed without the loving support of so many people, to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude. To the soul of my mother and father who took care of me and to whom I owe my life together with a special thanks to my wife, Soha, who gave me her patience and sacrificed everything in her life to encourage me to complete my study. To my children, Ammar, Ahmed, Emad, and Roba, who stood by me and gave me inspiration when things looked cold and grey. Many thanks to the rest of my loving family, especially my brothers and sisters and their wives, husbands, and children, all of whom encouraged and supported me throughout this work. Finally, great thanks go to my father in law, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Al-grenawi, for his help and support which enabled me to overcome difficulties and which strengthened me, enabling me to complete this research. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. ii STUDENT DECLARATION .................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................... iv DEDICATION............................................................................................................. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................. xiii LIST OF APPENDICES .......................................................................................... xiv GLOSSARY OF TERMS .......................................................................................... xv CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background ....................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Aims of the study ............................................................................................... 9 1.4 Significance of the study .................................................................................. 11 1.5 Methodology and data collection ..................................................................... 12 1.5.1 Selection of interviewees ............................................................................ 15 1.5.2 Recruitment of participant groups .............................................................. 17 1.5.3 Interview techniques and structures ............................................................ 18 1.5.4 Interview data collection ............................................................................. 19 1.5.5 Interview data analysis ................................................................................ 19 1.6 Organisation of the thesis................................................................................. 21 vii CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................... 25 LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 25 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 25 Section One .............................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Saudi Arabia.Pdf

    Saudi Arabia.Pdf

    A saudi man with his horse Performance of Al Ardha, the Saudi national dance in Riyadh Flickr / Charles Roffey Flickr / Abraham Puthoor SAUDI ARABIA Dec. 2019 Table of Contents Chapter 1 | Geography . 6 Introduction . 6 Geographical Divisions . 7 Asir, the Southern Region � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �7 Rub al-Khali and the Southern Region � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �8 Hejaz, the Western Region � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �8 Nejd, the Central Region � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �9 The Eastern Region � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �9 Topographical Divisions . .. 9 Deserts and Mountains � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �9 Climate . .. 10 Bodies of Water . 11 Red Sea � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 11 Persian Gulf � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 11 Wadis � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 11 Major Cities . 12 Riyadh � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �12 Jeddah � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �13 Mecca � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
  • The Crisis of Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia

    The Crisis of Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia

    The Crisis of Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia The Hadi Al-Mutif Project for Human Rights Institute for Gulf Affairs 1900 L Street NW, Suite 309 Washington DC 20036, USA Tell: 202-466-9500 www.gulfinstitute.org Email: [email protected] Preface This report is issued in connection with the upcoming visit of Saudi King Abdullah to the United States to attend the religious dialogue conference organized at his request by the United Nations General Assembly. The king’s visit is scheduled to start on November 10, 2008. This report provides an overview of the crisis of religious freedoms and oppressive policies practiced by the government of Saudi Arabia toward its citizens and non-citizens alike. The Institute for Gulf Affairs The Institute for Gulf Affairs is an independent, nonpartisan, tax exempt organization that disseminates reliable information about the Gulf region (the Gulf Cooperation Council countries plus Iraq) and produces thoughtful analyses of Gulf politics and international relations. Based in Washington, DC, the Institute is at the center of a global network of reliable individuals, some of whom, due to the closed nature of the Saudi and Gulf political systems, have no other outlet for their views. In order to fulfill this mission, the Institute: • Convenes conferences in Washington, where informed analysts debate major issues concerning the Gulf countries and US-Gulf Relations. • Conducts independent research and investigations, reports of which are posted on this website: www.gulfinstitute.org • Fosters a deeper understanding of the Gulf countries among Washington and international policymakers and members of the press corps by providing them with up-to- date and exclusive information, and by putting them in contact with reliable analysts.
  • Muslim Women's Pilgrimage to Mecca and Beyond

    Muslim Women's Pilgrimage to Mecca and Beyond

    Muslim Women’s Pilgrimage to Mecca and Beyond This book investigates female Muslims pilgrimage practices and how these relate to women’s mobility, social relations, identities, and the power struc- tures that shape women’s lives. Bringing together scholars from different disciplines and regional expertise, it offers in-depth investigation of the gendered dimensions of Muslim pilgrimage and the life-worlds of female pilgrims. With a variety of case studies, the contributors explore the expe- riences of female pilgrims to Mecca and other pilgrimage sites, and how these are embedded in historical and current contexts of globalisation and transnational mobility. This volume will be relevant to a broad audience of researchers across pilgrimage, gender, religious, and Islamic studies. Marjo Buitelaar is an anthropologist and Professor of Contemporary Islam at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands. She is programme-leader of the research project ‘Modern Articulations of Pilgrimage to Mecca’, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). Manja Stephan-Emmrich is Professor of Transregional Central Asian Stud- ies, with a special focus on Islam and migration, at the Institute for Asian and African Studies at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany, and a socio-cultural anthropologist. She is a Principal Investigator at the Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS) and co-leader of the research project ‘Women’s Pathways to Professionalization in Mus- lim Asia. Reconfiguring religious knowledge, gender, and connectivity’, which is part of the Shaping Asia network initiative (2020–2023, funded by the German Research Foundation, DFG). Viola Thimm is Professorial Candidate (Habilitandin) at the Institute of Anthropology, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
  • Transforming the Rentier State: Prospects for Saudi Arabia

    Transforming the Rentier State: Prospects for Saudi Arabia

    TRANSFORMING THE RENTIER STATE: PROSPECTS FOR SAUDI ARABIA: A SMALL N CASE STUDY OF RENTIER STATE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION AND ITS EFFECTS WITH APPLICATION TO SAUDI ARABIA’S VISION 2030 by MOHAMMED ALJUMIE A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-Newark Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey In partiaL fulfiLLment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhiLosophy in GLobaL Affairs Graduate Program in GLobaL Affairs Written under the direction of Carlos Seiglie and approved by Newark, New Jersey October 2020 ©2020 Mohammed ALjumie ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Transforming the Rentier State: Prospects for Saudi Arabia: A SmaLL N Case Study of Rentier State Economic Diversification and its Effects with Application to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 BY MOHAMMED ALJUMIE Dissertation Director: Dr. Carlos Seiglie This research project sought to determine, to the extent feasible prior to fulL implementation of the eLements of Saudi Vision 2030, the degree to which a strategy for economic diversification incLuding major legaL, regulatory and governmentaL activities and culturaL shifts is LikeLy to achieve its fundamentaL goaLs of economic diversification and an end to reLiance on rentier state resources. Saudi Vision 2030 depicts a comprehensive approach to achieving economic diversification whiLe diminishing the Kingdom’s reLiance on oiL and gas sector revenues. The researcher compared the possible impact of diversification via Saudi Vision 2030 to case studies of simiLar diversification in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE. The comparison identified the specific deveLopment initiatives undertaken by the five target states and their known economic impacts, and then further considered whether simiLar eLements or proposaLs of Saudi Vision 2030 might achieve simiLar ends.
  • Saudi Arabia and Saudi Women in Research Literature: a Critical Look

    Saudi Arabia and Saudi Women in Research Literature: a Critical Look

    Asian Social Science; Vol. 15, No. 2; 2019 ISSN 1911-2017 E-ISSN 1911-2025 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education Saudi Arabia and Saudi Women in Research Literature: A Critical Look Rami F. Mustafa1 & Salah Troudi1 1 Graduate School of Education, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK Correspondence: Rami F. Mustafa, Graduate School of Education, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK. E-mail: [email protected] Received: December 30, 2018 Accepted: Janaury 9, 2019 Online Published: January 30, 2019 doi:10.5539/ass.v15n2p133 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v15n2p133 Abstract The literature abounds with many researches and articles that are written in a way that portray the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the poster child of hegemony, essentialism and women oppression. In recent years, no aspect of Saudi Arabian society has been subject to more scrutiny and debate than the women’s domain. Women’s rights and responsibilities have been controversial issues among both conservatives and progressives in Saudi Arabia; nevertheless, Saudi women remain among the least studied population. This study draws on the academic and professional experiences of the author dealing with Saudi women in Canada, the UK, the USA and inside Saudi Arabia to further the critical scholarship on Saudi Arabia and Saudi women as site and population of academic research to avoid the essentialist, orientalist and Westernized understanding of Saudi Arabia and Saudi women. This article is a springboard to any researcher interested in studying – critically- Saudi women’s issues. Keywords: Saudi Arabia, Saudi Women, Islamic Feminism 1. Introduction Part of the training of social researchers is to effectively scrutinize resources and critically reflect upon them.
  • The Islamist Factory

    The Islamist Factory

    The Islamist Factory SHORT VERSION SEPTEMBER 2018 There is no desire more natural than the desire for knowledge The author An Ecole Normale graduate and with an agrégation in geography, Hakim El Karoui taught at the Lyon II University before joining the cabinet of the Prime Minister in 2002 as speech writer. After serving within the Ministry of Finance, in 2006 he integrated the Rothschild bank, where he led the Africa Practice together with Lionel Zinsou. In 2011, he joined the strategy consulting firm Roland Berger, where he was joint head of the Africa and French Government advisory sectors. In 2016, he founded his own strategy consulting firm, Volentia. Hakim El Karoui is also a writer and social entrepreneur (he created the Club du XXIe siècle - The 21st Century Club). The Islamist Factory SHORT VERSION - SEPTEMBER 2018 SOMMAIRE Foreword .................................................................................... 5 Partie I : Islamism: Genealogy of an Ideology ............................................. 9 Chapter I: Islamism as a Response to the Question of Modernity Raised by the West during the Colonial Era .............................13 Chapter II: Wahhabism and the Muslim Brotherhood: the Two Main Islamist Ideologies .....................................................16 Chapter III: Contemporary Developments: Islamism Reasons Alone and Independently of the West ............................19 Chapter IV: Why Islamism Becomes a Mass Ideology in the 1980s ..21 Part II : At the heart of Islamism’s Production Centers ................................ 23 Chapter I: The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and in the Arab World 26 Chapter II: Saudi Arabia ........................................................... 31 Chapter III: Turkish Islamism: Political Islam in Power ....................35 Chapter IV: Iran: A Marginal System of Production? .......................40 3 Part III – People, Organizations, and Media: How Islamism spreads ...........
  • ABSTRACT Saudi Arabia and the United States' Plan for Middle East Defense William J. Bowers Chairperson: George W. Gawrych, Ph

    ABSTRACT Saudi Arabia and the United States' Plan for Middle East Defense William J. Bowers Chairperson: George W. Gawrych, Ph

    ABSTRACT Saudi Arabia and the United States’ Plan for Middle East Defense William J. Bowers Chairperson: George W. Gawrych, Ph.D. The Dwight D. Eisenhower administration’s Cold War concerns shaped the United States’ policy in the Middle East during the 1950s. Relations with Saudi Arabia proved critical as the U.S. pursued its interests in the region. At first, the administration did not recognize the importance of Saudi Arabia and later it over evaluated the kingdom’s significance. Saudi Arabia proved decisive in the politics of the region throughout Eisenhower’s time in office. This study examines the U.S.-Saudi relationships, the environment in which it developed, and results that were derived from it. Primary sources, published and unpublished, as well as secondary sources in the form of monographs and periodicals were utilized in the research of this study. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Abbreviations v Acknowledgments vi Chapter 1. Historical Background to the U.S.-Saudi Relations and Middle East Security 1 2. The United States’ First Moves toward the Baghdad Pact 11 The Administration’s Final Effort to Implement the Middle East Defense Organization 11 The Administration Looks to Alternatives to MEDO and Egypt 19 United States Turns to the Northern Tier 22 The United States Still Included Egypt in Northern Tier Plans 29 Nasr No Longer Considered for Role in the Baghdad Pact 32 Saudi Arabia Considered for the Baghdad Pact 35 3. Saudi Arabia Rebuffs the Baghdad Pact 38 Saudi Arabia’s Perception of U.S. Loyalty Pushed It Away the Pact 39 Saudi Arabia’s Fear of the Hashemites and its Impact on the Baghdad Pact and U.S.
  • The Emergence of Hajj Stampedes: Lessons for Hajj Trauma Centers Mohammadjavad Hoseinpourfard,1 Mostafa Ghanei,1 Shahram Tofighi,1 Ali Ayoubian,2 and Morteza

    The Emergence of Hajj Stampedes: Lessons for Hajj Trauma Centers Mohammadjavad Hoseinpourfard,1 Mostafa Ghanei,1 Shahram Tofighi,1 Ali Ayoubian,2 and Morteza

    Trauma Mon. 2017 July; 22(4):e39455. doi: 10.5812/traumamon.39455. Published online 2016 October 9. Review Article The Emergence of Hajj Stampedes: Lessons for Hajj Trauma Centers Mohammadjavad Hoseinpourfard,1 Mostafa Ghanei,1 Shahram Tofighi,1 Ali Ayoubian,2 and Morteza Izadi3,* 1Health Management Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2Department of Health Service Management, Islamic Azad University, Tehran North Branch, Tehran, Iran 3Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran *Corresponding author: Morteza Izadi, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Nosrati Alley, Sheikhbahaei Janoubi Street, Molasadra Avenue, Vanak Square, Tehran, Iran. Tel: +98-82483250, Fax: +98 8248 3253, E-mail: [email protected] Received 2016 June 05; Revised 2016 September 21; Accepted 2016 September 26. Abstract Context: The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the most important obligations of Muslims. Hajj is the 2nd largest annual gatherings in the world after the Arbaeen pilgrimage to Karbala. Many of the health risk factors during the Hajj can be prevented or controlled. Evidence Acquisition: 17 available papers pertaining to the Hajj pilgrimage from 2000 to 2016 were aggregated, coded and used in the current study. The data were collected from the ISI web of knowledge, Scopus, Google Scholar, Lancet, PubMed, MEDLINE, Wiley, Highwire and EMBASE. The search strategy included the Hajj pilgrimage and trauma centers or Islamic ethics, Islamic rights, and accreditation. Results: On average 1,379,500 pilgrims from 188 different countries as well as 800,000 from Saudi Arabia visited Mecca every year. The health risk factors classified categories included communicable and noncommunicable diseases.
  • Visit Saudi Content Toolkit December 2020

    Visit Saudi Content Toolkit December 2020

    Content Toolkit 1 Visit Saudi Content Toolkit December 2020 VisitSaudi.com Content Toolkit 2 This is your ‘Welcome to Arabia’ content toolkit. The purpose of this toolkit is to provide you with information, images and video to give you the support needed to create beautiful, inspiring, consistent content to promote Saudi as a destination around the world. The contents of this toolkit can be used to create powerful communications across print, social and online formats. Content Toolkit 3 A word from our CCO Dear Friends and Partners of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Saudi is the most exciting travel destination in the market today. Largely unexplored by international leisure visitors, Saudi is the true home of Arabia – a land rich in culture, heritage, mystique and romance. A land of adventure and unparalleled hospitality. Saudi is a study in contrasts. From Al Jouf in the north to Jazan in the south, you’ll find arid deserts and lush valleys, clear seas and rugged mountains, ancient archaeological sites and modern architecture, haute cuisine and street food. It is a country of natural beauty, great diversity and hidden treasures. Saudi’s tourism offering focuses on delivering authentically Arabian adventure, culture and heritage underpinned by remarkable hospitality. It is the Kingdom’s unique natural attributes and its authenticity as the home of Arabia that will attract and enthrall travelers. Saudi opened its doors and hearts to the world of leisure tourism in September 2019 with the launch of our tourism e-visa service. And before the global ban on international travel is response to the coronavirus pandemic, it was the fastest growing tourist destination in the world, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Report.
  • Civil-Military Relations in the Arab Monarchies: the Blurred Lines Between King and Commander in Jordan and Saudi Arabia

    Civil-Military Relations in the Arab Monarchies: the Blurred Lines Between King and Commander in Jordan and Saudi Arabia

    Civil-Military Relations in the Arab Monarchies: The Blurred Lines Between King and Commander in Jordan and Saudi Arabia Master’s Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Brandeis University Department of Global Studies Dr. Eva Bellin, Advisor In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Global Studies By Alexander Haupt May 2019 Copyright by Alexander Haupt ©2019 Acknowledgements The author wishes to extend his warmest thanks to Professor Eva Bellin for the direction and support she gave to this project. Her efforts were invaluable. Further, Professor Kristen Lucken, Professor Gregory Freeze and Professor Chandler Rosenberger deserve special thanks for their guidance in this undertaking. iii ABSTRACT Civil-Military Relations in the Arab Monarchies The Blurred Lines Between King and Commander in Saudi Arabia and Jordan A thesis presented to the Graduate Program in Global Studies Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Brandeis University Waltham, Massachusetts By Alexander Haupt This paper offers an analysis of the Saudi and Hashemite dynasties and their relationships to the armed camps in their kingdoms. It centers on the question of military intervention in domestic politics and under what structural conditions it has been effectively curtailed. Certain domestic crises are examined to make explicable the longevity of these regimes in a climate of praetorian domestic politics. These monarchies are found to embrace political arrangements which are well suited to civilian control over the military establishment. These arrangements are owed to deliberate regime practices in the employ of coup-proofing measures, conditions particular to the countries’ themselves, and the structural realities of ruling monarchy.
  • Power and Autonomy in the Saudi State

    Power and Autonomy in the Saudi State

    Power and Autonomy in the Saudi State Case Study Analysis of Policy Implementation MoneefN. Mlafekh Thesis Submitted to the Department of Politics At The University of Sheffield In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy In Public Policy and Governance 2010 IMAGING SERVICES NORTH Boston Spa, Wetherby West Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ www.bl.uk BEST COpy AVAILABLE. VARIABLE PRINT QUALITY Declaration This thesis is available for Library use on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own work has been identified and that no material has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University. 2 ABSTRACT There is a substantial literature that now exists on public policy analysis which recognises a variety of issues surrounding implementation. Studies of the actions of public policy service deliverers or what Lipsky (1980) calls street level bureaucrats (SLBs), reveals numerous examples where they misinterpret or contest the conceived purpose of policies formulated at the central level and, therefore, fail to deliver policy in a manner consistent with the ideals of core policymakers. In the case of Saudi Arabia however, little is known about the factors that contribute to the implementation of public policy there or the degree of political autonomy experienced by Saudi SLBs at the implementation stage. The purpose of this study is to address this lacuna by exploring the nature of power and autonomy in the Saudi political system through a case study of public education policy.
  • Saudi Arabia Between Conservatism, Accommodation and Reform

    Saudi Arabia Between Conservatism, Accommodation and Reform

    Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ SAUDI ARABIA BETWEEN CONSERVATISM, ACCOMMODATION AND REFORM Roel Meijer and Paul Aarts (editors) Joas Wagemakers Mariwan Kanie Annemarie van Geel Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ January 2012 Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ Clingendael 7 2597 VH The Hague Tel.: +31 (0)70–3245384 Fax: +31 (0)70–3746667 P.O. Box 93080 2509 AB The Hague E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.clingendael.nl Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Historical Overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 The Report ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8 1. Joas Wagemakers, Arguing for Change under Benevolent Oppression: Intellectual Trends and Debates in Saudi Arabia ............................................................................................................................ 13 1.1 Introduction