RIYADH: Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform plan, the government is seeking to reform the economy and society, reduce dependence on oil and improve Saudi Arabia’s global image.
Arguably, the social reforms have been most palpable so far in the field of women’s rights, especially with the lifting of the driving ban and the removal of the guardianship requirement.
But this does not mean that Saudi men are insulated from, or indifferent to, the developments reshaping their country and society.
Mark Thompson, a senior associate fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS), and an assistant professor of Middle East studies at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, has been studying the subject from a close range for the past couple of years.
The result of his primary research is a book titled “Being Young, Male and Saudi: Identity and Politics in a Globalized Kingdom” (Cambridge University Press).
The book discusses the impact of globalization on the cultural and national identity of Saudi society, with particular emphasis on young Saudi men.
Thompson says he has noticed an increase in the level of engagement and awareness of issues among young Saudi men since he started to conduct his research.
“Awareness of issues that affect people’s lives has increased, as has awareness of regional issues and global issues that impact the Kingdom,” he told Arab News. “Without a doubt, this is linked to education and social media usage.”
At recent events in Saudi cities to mark the launch of his book, Thompson has discussed many of the challenges and dilemmas facing young Saudi men in different parts of the country.
He has covered a range of topics including identity, education, employment, marriage prospects and social media’s impact on young people.
The book looks at societal transformation strictly from the perspective of young Saudi men. “This has nothing to do with ignoring the female perspective,” Thompson said. “I feel that the young male perspective is often overlooked.”
He says the position of Saudi women within society draws media attention throughout the world, but the opinions and attitudes of young Saudi men are barely heard beyond the Kingdom. It was his objective, therefore, to shed some light on the matter.
“I encouraged them (men) to contribute to the research because I wanted it to reflect their opinions and concerns,” Thompson said.
“So the overall aim of the book is to gauge perceptions about a variety of important societal issues in order to uncover a diverse range of young men’s opinions and concerns about some of the challenges and dilemmas facing them in the 21st century.”
Thompson says although his book looks specifically at young Saudi men, many of the issues he addresses are applicable to Saudi youth as a whole, and to their global peers.
The book takes a close look at young Saudi men’s views on identity, employment, social ties, societal transformation, social media use, globalization, gender segregation, recreation, national development and individual participation.
It is based on fieldwork conducted across Saudi Arabia, involving discussions, personal interviews and responses to online surveys. Thompson drew on feedback from about 55 focus groups in locations across the Kingdom.
The study’s male participants were aged 18-26, and were selected from across the spectrum in terms of their education levels, employment status, place of residence (urban or rural) and family backgrounds.
Academic Mark Thompson. (Supplied)
“It’s very important to remember that Saudi Arabia isn’t homogenous. There are different cultures, different social norms,” said Thompson.
“So I think a researcher should listen to as many diverse cohorts as possible, and in many different parts of the Kingdom.”
The aim of talking to individuals from different backgrounds, Thompson said, is not just to identify differences but also commonalities.
He travelled across the country to conduct his research. Locations for the focus groups included homes, coffee shops, parks, the desert, beaches, and meeting places locally known as “istiraha.”
Thompson said he met the focus groups “on their terms, and we discussed issues that were important to them.”
To ensure that participants felt comfortable to speak freely in an informal environment, he avoided recording the sessions and only took notes.
He found that many young men who took part in the discussions found them beneficial and somewhat like therapy sessions.
One of the major topics discussed by the focus groups was the increase in entertainment opportunities since 2017, referring to initiatives of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority. “But they also pointed out that a lot of these events are often too expensive for them,” Thompson said.
He added that one issue about which he heard quite frequently from respondents who were not so well-off was affordability — that cinema tickets were not within everybody’s reach, and that the fuel bill for visiting a cinema in a car was an additional financial burden.
Another issue that sparked vigorous debate was the compatibility between the new entertainment options and Saudi culture and religion.
“One example is World Wrestling Entertainment. We conducted a couple of surveys with around 2,000 respondents to measure opinions on different events,” Thompson said.
“The findings revealed that they provoke strong reactions both for and against, and about two-thirds of the young people surveyed had quite mixed feelings about it.”
Thompson said he is often asked about the most significant change that he has witnessed since he first arrived in Saudi Arabia.
He has no doubt about the answer: “The young population’s desire to engage with the world, and obviously socioeconomic and sociocultural changes.”
He said: “We see increasingly young Saudis sort of yearning for an active role in decision-making processes.”
He added that many of the men surveyed said they expect to contribute to national development.
Thompson said there are many organizations in the country that encourage youth to contribute to decision-making, notably the KFCRIS, the King Salman Youth Center and the MiSK Foundation.
He added that anxiety about the future is common among young men everywhere. “It’s no different with young Saudi men. Many of those aspirations and concerns are remarkably similar to those of their international peers,” he said.
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