The years between the 1940s and late 1980s were seen as turbulent ones from economists and international relations theorists. The dichotomous economic division between the main blocks of the Cold...Show moreThe years between the 1940s and late 1980s were seen as turbulent ones from economists and international relations theorists. The dichotomous economic division between the main blocks of the Cold War spread differently in different parts of the world. The Middle East is a region of no exception when it comes to global Cold War dynamics on a local level. In this thesis I argue that these local dynamics (Arab Cold War) were brought to an end because of the economic entanglement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. This entanglement, in turn, facilitated by the presence of the IMF in Egypt in the form of neoliberalisation policies, created a positive environment for the development of an economic interdependency that thus ended the Arab Cold War.Show less
The Gaza crisis, which started on 7th October 2023 after Hamas attacks on Israel, killing 1139 Israelis, the conflict has resulted in tragic numbers, as of May 2024, with at least 34,622...Show moreThe Gaza crisis, which started on 7th October 2023 after Hamas attacks on Israel, killing 1139 Israelis, the conflict has resulted in tragic numbers, as of May 2024, with at least 34,622 Palestinian deaths, including over 9,500 women and 14,500 children, and 77.867 injuries, 1.7 Million internally displaced persons, and 1.1 million people projected to face catastrophic levels of food insecurity. The significant number of casualties has prompted widespread reference to the conflict as Israel’s war on Gaza, describing it as an Israeli massacre and genocide against Palestinians. The observed passivity of Islamic/Muslim-majority countries in actively addressing the Gaza crisis presents a puzzling scenario. It significantly raises questions about the dynamics of Muslim states' behavior within international relations. This research has aimed to provide insights into the reasons behind this passive stance of the Muslim states, in particular, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. By using qualitative and quantitative methods on these three separate cases within the scope of the Realism theory of International Relations, the research has found that the three major regional Muslim states have not taken proactive measures concerning the Gaza crisis due to their self-interests, reckoning with political and economic repercussions.Show less
In 2016, Saudi Arabia released Saudi Vision 2030, a document containing ambitions and goals for 2030. The document contains two goals regarding renewable energy: achieving a capacity of 9.5GW in...Show moreIn 2016, Saudi Arabia released Saudi Vision 2030, a document containing ambitions and goals for 2030. The document contains two goals regarding renewable energy: achieving a capacity of 9.5GW in renewable energy by 2030, and localising part of the renewable energy value chain. This thesis researches how the KSA uses these renewable energy goals to change its nation brand, and how this affects its leadership position in global energy. Using online databases and existing literature, this thesis assesses both the situation regarding the renewable energy and the localisation in 2016, and the realisation of the goals by 2024. Then a thematic analysis of the websites and X-accounts of Vision 2030 and Green Initiative is carried out. Lastly, this study analyses the behaviour and rhetoric of Saudi Arabia within OPEC, the UNGA, and COP-meetings. The thesis argues that while Saudi Arabia uses renewable energy to shape its image, this is not the main component or goal of its nation branding strategy. Rather, the KSA presents itself as a transforming, ambitious nation, and as a potential economic partner for investors. Regarding sustainability, Saudi Arabia brands itself as a leader in renewable energy, especially in regional context. The thesis argues that despite the developments regarding renewable energy in Saudi Arabia, the country continues to prioritise oil production and export. As a result, its position in global energy has not changed significantly and in the long run, its nation brand might not be as effective.Show less
This thesis investigates the relationship between the Saudi government and Aramco, the country’s major oil and gas company and one of the world’s largest. By uncovering the historical backdrop of...Show moreThis thesis investigates the relationship between the Saudi government and Aramco, the country’s major oil and gas company and one of the world’s largest. By uncovering the historical backdrop of this relationship, from the discovery of oil to the recent initial public offering (IPO) in 2019, this research explores the evolving dynamics of governance and authority within this relationship and its far-reaching implications for the broader Saudi Arabian landscape. After unpacking the events, actors and factors that have shaped this relationship over the years, this thesis will argue that the relationship between the two parties is closer and more interlocking than what is generally depicted, with the state having substantial influence over Aramco’s operations and governance. The findings provide insights into the changes and continuity of the investigated relationship, as well as contribute to an in-depth understanding of the governance dynamics and implications to the larger Saudi Arabian landscape. Understanding the weight of this relationship is essential when analysing Aramco’s future trajectory and, to some degree, Saudi Arabia’s future.Show less
The war in Yemen and the involvement of Saudi Arabia receive little academic and societal attention. This thesis sought to analyze the strategies of Saudi Arabia by comparing them to the well...Show moreThe war in Yemen and the involvement of Saudi Arabia receive little academic and societal attention. This thesis sought to analyze the strategies of Saudi Arabia by comparing them to the well-documented American intervention in Afghanistan. This results in the following research question: to what extent are Saudi Arabia in Yemen and the US in Afghanistan strategic in their approach to successful counterinsurgency? Based on five basic principles of COIN, the research found that both states were not strategic in their respective interventions.Show less
This empirical study explores the relationship between authoritarianism and women empowerment. In academia relatively little attention has been paid to the correlation between gender studies,...Show moreThis empirical study explores the relationship between authoritarianism and women empowerment. In academia relatively little attention has been paid to the correlation between gender studies, particularly women’s rights, and authoritarianism. Recently however, literature in this field of study is expanding as more researchers start questioning the motivations and determinants of gender inclusion in authoritarian regimes. The objective of this research is to explore the Saudi regimes rational, behind one the hand advancing a state-feminist agenda which empowers women in different spheres of life, while at the other hand it is repressing the same group it claims to support. Based on Gerschewski’s Three Pillars of Stability theory, this study makes the premise that there is a correlation between women’s empowerment policies and the notion of regime survival. Gerschewski’s theory offers three pillars which are employed by autocratic regimes to remain in power: legitimation, co-optation, and repression.Show less
The thesis investigated if the Chinese Belt Road Initiative has brought changes in trade and investment to the economies of Saudi Arabia and Iran. Quantitative data was collected from a myriad of...Show moreThe thesis investigated if the Chinese Belt Road Initiative has brought changes in trade and investment to the economies of Saudi Arabia and Iran. Quantitative data was collected from a myriad of resources to compare the levels of trade and investment between 2010-2018. Overall, BRI has not brought changes to the economies as world affairs are a much stronger force that affect the countries and their ability to grow and develop.Show less
This thesis has attempted to investigate the progress that the Saudi government has made in fulfilling the goals related to the components of immigration and investment and tourism in Saudi Vision...Show moreThis thesis has attempted to investigate the progress that the Saudi government has made in fulfilling the goals related to the components of immigration and investment and tourism in Saudi Vision 2030. It has attempted to do so using nation branding theory specifically, making use of interviews, surveys and analysis of primary and secondary sources to investigate this process. The findings of this research indicate that tourism and investment are important sources of potential economic growth that can help the country diversify economically. However, due to instability in terms of the political climate and the authoritarian nature of the Saudi regime, tourism has been negatively affected in the country. In addition, investor worries concerning scandals in the country as well as concern over the government’s ability to deliver on its promises has also cast doubt on whether the goals outlined in the strategic document can be achieved in time. Together, these cases corroborate the findings of other scholars that Saudi Vision 2030 is too ambitious and that the government’s attempts to focus exclusively on improving its image may backfire if it does not undertake other reforms in the country.Show less
This thesis examines to case studies that influence the religious attitude of Saudi Arabia after the events of 1979. The case studies are the Islamic revolution that was completed in February 1979...Show moreThis thesis examines to case studies that influence the religious attitude of Saudi Arabia after the events of 1979. The case studies are the Islamic revolution that was completed in February 1979 and the siege of the Grand Mosque of Mecca in December 1979. The Islamic revolution caused a growth of Shia Islam in the Middle East. This formed a threat for Saudi Arabia in regional politics. While the siege of the Grand Mosque of Mecca was an domestic threat towards the religious authority of the state. Both cases caused an increase of Saudi Arabia's government efforts in proclaiming to be the rightfull leadership in Islam.Show less
Arab women are often portrayed as in need of saving from the conditions they live in. This narrative takes away the possibility of these women to be agents of change in their own lives. This thesis...Show moreArab women are often portrayed as in need of saving from the conditions they live in. This narrative takes away the possibility of these women to be agents of change in their own lives. This thesis aims to explore how Saudi women push back against societal norms in literary fiction. Specifically, it investigates how Saudi female fictional characters employ different forms of agency in physical and online public spaces compared to private and women-only spaces. The close reading of segments of two fictional literary works was used to showcase how female protagonists employ different understandings of agency. These examples were then linked to real-life examples to demonstrate that fiction is strongly rooted in reality. What became clear is that there is a multiplicity of ways for Saudi women to employ agency to resist and reshape the established order and practices, and different spaces within Saudi society offer different opportunities for employing agency. Moreover, there are different types of agency employed by different types of Saudi women. Thus, Saudi women can be agents of change within Saudi society and their own lives.Show less
This thesis demonstrates that the Triple Bottom Line (3BL) analysis is not only a useful tool for assessing the state of sustainability in corporations, but also on a country level. To do so, Saudi...Show moreThis thesis demonstrates that the Triple Bottom Line (3BL) analysis is not only a useful tool for assessing the state of sustainability in corporations, but also on a country level. To do so, Saudi Arabia is employed as a case study. The three sectors of economy, environment, and society are analyzed. Results show that the 3BL analysis is valuable to achieve sustainable development for nation-states, nevertheless the assessment tool should be developed further to reach its full potential.Show less
Saudi Arabia’s actions in Yemen have been largely neglected in the growing body of International Relations literature concerning regionalisation and power classification. Using an adaptation of...Show moreSaudi Arabia’s actions in Yemen have been largely neglected in the growing body of International Relations literature concerning regionalisation and power classification. Using an adaptation of Daniel Flemes’ conceptualisation of regional power, this thesis analyses Saudi leadership in the first four and a half years of the Yemen Civil War (March 2015 – August 2019). The case study was performed using an overarching causal-process tracing approach. Three variables that are fundamental for Saudi regional leadership in Yemen have been distinguished; claim to leadership, material methods of self-assertion and acceptance of leadership. As these variables are different in nature, they have been analysed using different methodologies. The findings of these analyses suggest that it is easy to ascribe a regional leading role to Saudi Arabia, as its claim to leadership and growing regional assertiveness are evident, but that real leadership over countries in the region is missing. Ultimately, this thesis illustrates that case study research is essential in the process of classifying a country as ‘regional power’.Show less
In international politics and throughout academic literature, the current civil war in Yemen (2015-present) has regularly been discussed as being a proxy war between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and...Show moreIn international politics and throughout academic literature, the current civil war in Yemen (2015-present) has regularly been discussed as being a proxy war between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. As a consequence, the international community’s military interference in what has been labelled by the United Nations as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world has been rather limited. This research aims to counter the general proxy warfare narrative, and to provide an alternative explanation of the causes and dynamics of Yemen’s devastating conflict. Therefore, this thesis will critically analyze the context, development of events, and transformation of the war in Yemen and discuss how to characterize the internationalization of Yemen’s internal conflict over the period 2014-2018. To formulate an answer to this question, the thesis will first discuss the Saudi-Iranian rivalry in the contemporary Middle East and the use of proxy warfare in their regional balance of power. Then, the theoretical framework of internationalization of civil war will be discussed to explicate the connection between domestic and international dimensions of conflicts. Next, the thesis will analyse the internal social and political causes of the war in Yemen to assess the original nature of the conflict, and discuss the developments from the outbreak of the civil war to its present internationalized condition. Together with an analysis of the extent and motivations of the Saudi and Iranian military interventions in the conflict, this research will develop the argument that the war in Yemen (2014-2018) is essentially an internationalized civil war. The proxy warfare narrative fails to accurately describe the causes, dynamics, and international intervention processes of this internationalized internal conflict, and the use of this rhetoric by Saudi Arabia should be interpreted as a political tool to justify its military intervention in Yemen’s domestic struggles to secure its own regional strategic objectives. Moreover, the limited support of Iran to the Houthis remains far too marginal to have any significant impact on the balance of power in Yemen. The research and arguments will be substantiated by academic study of regional politics experts and by analysing UN reports, reportages from independent journalists, and interviews with policymakers. Understanding the highly local and non-ideological origins and dimensions of the war in Yemen is fundamental to any future attempts at conflict resolution at the international level. Analysing the process of internationalization, as well as the contemporary nature of the conflict, will provide significant insights regarding what type of mediation would be most effective. Furthermore, emphasizing the escalated and internationalized nature of the Yemeni civil war since its outbreak in 2015, as opposed to the general proxy warfare narrative, will hopefully contribute to the international community’s recognition of the necessity and responsibility to resolve this humanitarian disaster. Academically, the research will contribute to the academic body of literature on the internationalization of internal conflicts. In addition, 1 this thesis will generate a greater understanding of proxy warfare and expose the dangers of the use of proxy war frames.Show less
The “forgotten war” in Yemen in anything but forgotten to Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saudi Arabia leads a military intervention in Yemen, whilst Iran diplomatically supports the Houthis and provides...Show moreThe “forgotten war” in Yemen in anything but forgotten to Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saudi Arabia leads a military intervention in Yemen, whilst Iran diplomatically supports the Houthis and provides them with marginal military aid. The Yemeni war has been subject to various frames, varying from civil war to proxy war. This thesis focuses on the understanding of the proxy war frame. It aims to enhance the understanding of Saudi Arabia and Iran’s involvement by an examination of the portrayal of the Yemeni war in both states’ national presses. These national presses are considered propaganda tools, and thereby provide an insight into national ideologies, and the ways in which the Yemeni war is explained to domestic and foreign audiences. The rhetoric of these national presses is compared to the framework of moral responses to distant suffering. In so doing, the following research question was answered: ‘To what extent does the reporting of the Yemeni war in Saudi Arabian and Iranian national presses correspond to the rhetorical framework of moral responses to distant suffering?’.Show less
Regime stability in Saudi Arabia is based on the assumption that the distribution of oil wealth among the citizens will lead to political quiescence in return. However, the decline in oil prices...Show moreRegime stability in Saudi Arabia is based on the assumption that the distribution of oil wealth among the citizens will lead to political quiescence in return. However, the decline in oil prices since 2014 has exposed the flaws in this assumption of national co-optation. Drawing on insights of Social Contract, Rentier State and Welfare State theory, this thesis will delve deeper into the sub-national factors that influence regime stability in Saudi Arabia. As such, a thorough analysis of the youth bulge and foreign workers in Saudi Arabia concludes that it is not sufficient to investigate the distribution of wealth on a national level to understand the mechanisms of regime stability. Sub-national analysis provides additional insights into the factors that are exacerbated due to the low oil price and establishes a narrative that argues for different mechanisms of regime stabilization. Contemporary developments, such as the implementation of the Vision 2030 policy by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, underline the relevance of expanding sub-national analysis.Show less
The September 11 attacks of 2001, alongside the bombings in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005, are just some examples of terrorism that have been carried out in the name of Islam. These events have...Show moreThe September 11 attacks of 2001, alongside the bombings in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005, are just some examples of terrorism that have been carried out in the name of Islam. These events have been heavily discussed and debated not only in the West, but globally regarding the use of Islam in committing terrorism. Hence, different scholars have touched upon the concept of Salafism in relation to modern-day terrorism but did not bring enough attention to how it has multiple uses in politics. This research sheds light on the methods of two very distinct political actors which were able to create social cohesion, attract followers and maintain a collective identity within their societies. Therefore, this research investigates how both the Islamic State and Saudi Arabia have used Islam as part of their propaganda strategy online to achieve political outcomes.Show less
بينما تم بحث العلاقات السعودية اليرانية بوافرة ، لم يتم بحث كيفية تأثير صعود العرش للملك السعودي سلمان عليى تلييك العلاقييات. ومع ذلك ، افقد اقيل عادة أن دور القادة الافراد ينبغي أن يؤخييذ افييي...Show moreبينما تم بحث العلاقات السعودية اليرانية بوافرة ، لم يتم بحث كيفية تأثير صعود العرش للملك السعودي سلمان عليى تلييك العلاقييات. ومع ذلك ، افقد اقيل عادة أن دور القادة الافراد ينبغي أن يؤخييذ افييي العتبييار عنييد تقييييم السياسيية الخارجييية. علوة علييى ذلييك ، افييإن التطورات افي العلاقات السعودية اليرانية لها تأثير مهم على الشرق الوسط بأكمله وكذلك بالنسبة للقوى العظمى الخارجية. بييالنظر إلى هذه العوامل ، افقد افحصت هذه الأطروحة كيف أثر صعود الملك سلمان افي السييلطة علييى العلاقييات السييعودية اليرانييية. الحجيية الساسية لهذه الأطروحة هي أن صعود الملك سلمان للعرش جعل العلاقات السعودية - اليرانية أكثر عرضيية للنييزاع بثلاث أطييرق. ا ل ، من خلل التغيير افي المصالح الوأطنية للمملكة العربية السعودية ، والذي يحركه بقوة ابن الملك سلمان ، محمد بن سلمان. ثانيا أو ا ، لدى الملك سلمان ومحمد بن سلمان وجهة نظر مختلفة عن نظرائهما السابقين افي مجال السياسة الخارجية. على وجه التحديد ، افييي را ، افإن تركيز القييوة المتعلقيية بالسياسيية الخارجييية افييي أيييدي الملييك سييلمان نظرتهم للعالم ، أعطوا أولوية اقوية للتهديد اليراني. أخيا ومحمد بن سلمان يتيح تنفيذ سياسة خارجية أكثر عدوانية تجاه إيران. افي حييين أن هييذه العوامييل تعتييبر ضييرورية لتييدهور العلاقييات ما. ومع ذلك ، افإن التفاعل بين تلك التطورات الخارجييية را مها ضا دوا را ، إل أن التطورات الخارجية تلعب أي ا السعودية اليرانية مؤخا .والعوامل المرتبطة بنفوذ الملك سلمان إلى السلطة يستلزام إجراء المزيد من البحواث من أجل توضيحها بالكاملShow less
