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Overview
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, known for its petroleum reserves and leadership role in the Middle East, is explored in this latest addition to the Understanding Modern Nations series. Organized into thematic chapters, Modern Saudi Arabia covers both history and contemporary daily life. Chapter topics include: Geography; History; Government and Politics; Economy; Religion and Thought; Social Classes and Ethnicity; Gender, Marriage, and Sexuality; Education; Language; Etiquette; Literature and Drama; Art and Architecture; Music and Dance; Food; Leisure and Sports; and Media and Popular Culture. Each chapter contains an overview of the topic and alphabetized entries on examples of each theme.
A detailed historical timeline spans from prehistoric times to the present. Special appendices are also included, offering profiles of a typical day in the life of representative members of Saudi society, a glossary, key facts and figures about Saudi Arabia, and a holiday chart. This volume will be useful for readers looking for specific topical information and for those who want to read entire chapters to gain a deeper perspective on aspects of modern Saudi Arabia.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781440857041 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Publication date: | 06/01/2020 |
| Series: | Understanding Modern Nations |
| Pages: | 382 |
| Product dimensions: | 7.20(w) x 10.25(h) x 1.20(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Series Foreword xi
Introduction xiii
Chapter 1 Geography 1
Overview 1
Asir 2
Border Demarcations and Disputes 4
Climate 6
Eastern Arabia: Al-Hasa 7
Environmental Issues after the Gulf War 8
Fresh Water Reserves and Water Conservancy 9
Great Deserts 11
Hijaz and Tihamah 13
Jeddah 14
Mecca 16
Medina 17
Najd: Central Arabia 18
Northern Arabia 20
The Persian Gulf 21
Population 23
The Red Sea 24
Riyadh 26
Chapter 2 History 29
Overview 29
Timeline 30
The Abbasids 36
Arab Revolt (1916-1918) 37
Discovery of Oil 39
Emirate of Diriyah: The First Saudi State (1744-1818) 40
Emirate of Najd: The Second Saudi State (1824-1891) 42
The Golden Age of Islam in Arabia 43
Ibn Saud 44
Ikhwan 45
King Abdullah 47
The Mamluks and the Ottomans in Arabia 49
Muhammad, Prophet of Islam 51
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab 53
Nabateans 54
Najran 55
Pre-Islamic Arabia 56
Rashidun: The Righteous Caliphs 58
The Rise of Islam 60
Sharifs of Mecca 63
Third Saudi State: Saudi Arabia in the 20th Century 64
The Umayyads 65
Chapter 3 Government and Politics 69
Overview 69
The Arab Spring 71
Capital and Corporal Punishment 73
Constitution and Legal Reform 75
Corruption 77
Gulf Cooperation Council 78
Human Rights and Censorship 79
Law Enforcement and Security 81
Local Government and Municipal Elections 82
Military 84
Political Dissent and Opposition 85
Political Reform and Modernization 87
Saudi Monarchy and Branches of the Government 88
Saudi-U.S. Relations 90
Sharia Law and Judicial System 93
Ulama 94
Wahhabi Ideology 95
Chapter 4 Economy 99
Overview 99
Agriculture 100
Diversification and Development Plans 102
Energy 103
Financial Institutions and Saudi Riyal 105
Land and Household Policy 107
Migrant Workers and Unemployment 108
Oil Industry and Aramco 110
OPEC and OAPEC 112
Petrochemical Industry 113
Public vs. Private Sectors 115
Saudization 117
Science and Technology 119
Taxation 120
Tourism 121
Trade and Exports 123
Transportation 125
Vision 2030 127
Chapter 5 Religion and Thought 129
Overview 129
Five Pillars or the Tenets of Islam 130
Hajj 133
Islamic Calendar 136
Jihad 137
Non-Muslims 138
Quran 139
Shia Community 141
Shia Islam 142
Sunni Islam and Jurisprudence 143
Chapter 6 Social Classes and Ethnicity 147
Overview 147
Bedouins and Nomadism 149
Ethnic Composition 152
Health and Welfare 153
House of Saud 155
Major Tribes 157
Settled Population: Hadar 160
Sharif and Sayyid 161
Sulubbah 162
Urbanization 163
Chapter 7 Gender, Marriage, and Sexuality 165
Overview 165
Divorce 168
Domestic Violence 170
Gender Segregation 171
Guardianship 172
Hijab and Dress Code 173
Identity Cards 175
Marriage Law and Tradition 176
The Mutawwa: Saudi Religious Police 178
Parents and Children 179
Social Life, Kinship, and Friendships 180
Traditional Wedding 182
Women in Public Office 183
Women's Mobility and Driving Ban 186
Chapter 8 Education 189
Overview 189
Education of Women 191
Higher Education 192
International Schools 194
Islamic Education 195
Key Universities 196
Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University 199
Secondary Education 200
Chapter 9 Language 203
Overview 203
Arabic Alphabet and Script 205
Arabic Calligraphy 206
Arabic Dialects 209
Dialect of Hijaz 211
Dialect of Najdi 212
Gulf Arabic and Minority Languages 213
Chapter 10 Etiquette 215
Overview 215
Death Rites 216
Dress Etiquette 218
Honor 219
Majlis 221
Social Life 222
Workweek and Holidays 223
Chapter 11 Literature 227
Overview 227
Abdelrahman Munif 229
Ghazi al-Gosaibi 230
Poetry 231
Prose 233
Raja Alem 235
Turki al-Hamad 236
Women Writers 237
Chapter 12 Art and Architecture 241
Overview 241
Abraj al-Bait 243
Bedouin Jewelry 245
Calligraphic Art 246
Contemporary Art 250
Great Mosque of Mecca 252
Modernization of Saudi Architecture 254
Sadu Weaving 256
Traditional Architecture 257
Traditional Garments 259
Chapter 13 Music and Dance 263
Overview 263
Ardha Dance 264
Bedouin Music 266
Contemporary Saudi and Khaliji Music 267
Janadiriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival 268
Music of Hijaz and Asir 269
Religious Music 271
Sawt Music 272
Traditional Instruments 273
Wedding Music and Dance 275
Chapter 14 Food 277
Overview 277
Arabic Coffee, Tea, and Other Traditional Beverages 280
Islamic Dietary Laws 282
Kabsah 284
Traditional Foods and Regional Variations 285
Chapter 15 Leisure and Sports 291
Overview 291
Camel Racing 293
Falconry 294
Golf 296
Horse Racing 297
Maqha: Traditional Coffeehouse 298
Popular Consumerism 300
Soccer 302
Women in Sports 303
Chapter 16 Media and Popular Culture 307
Overview 307
Cinema 309
Freedom of Speech 310
Government Censorship 312
Internet and Social Media 314
Printed Press 317
Television 318
Tradition vs. Globalization 321
Appendix A A Day in the Life 323
A Day in the Life of a Young Professional Woman 323
A Day in the Life of a Bedouin 325
A Day in the Life of a Rural Widow 326
A Day in the Life of a Young Urban Man 328
Appendix B Glossary of Key Terms 331
Appendix C Facts and Figures 337
Appendix D Holidays 343
Selected Bibliography 345
Index 357