Saudi Arabia and the Path to Political Change: National Dialogue and Civil Society
Mark Thompson, "Saudi Arabia and the Path to Political Change: National Dialogue and Civil Society"
English | 2014 | ISBN: 1780766718 | EPUB | pages: 304 | 0.9 mb
English | 2014 | ISBN: 1780766718 | EPUB | pages: 304 | 0.9 mb
State-society dialogue in Saudi Arabia is one of the most contested issues in the country today, and yet very little is known about this process. Assessing the extent to which the Saudi Arabia National Dialogue process and activities of the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue (KACND) represent a viable attempt to address socio-political issues, the author here examines for the first time whether the ongoing National Dialogue process accurately reflects the aspirations and concerns of contemporary Saudi society, covering issues from women's empowerment to employment and public health. What are the impacts of National Dialogue on socio-political development? How does it relate to wider regime strategies and to the evolution of the Saudi polity? Based on approximately 120 interviews conducted in Saudi Arabia from 2009 to 2011, this book explores the effects and consequences of Saudi National Dialogue, and questions to what extent wider ideological debate is possible in the Kingdom.