Non-Resident Fellow, AGSIW
Eman Alhussein is a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. She previously worked as a research fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Her research focuses on Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. Alhussein’s areas of interest include identity and nationalism, gender, cultural and societal change, and religious discourse and reforms.
Alhussein holds an MA in Gulf studies from the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter. She completed her bachelor’s degree at the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia’s legal reforms aim to provide a legal environment conducive to business while at the same time upholding the centrality of sharia in the kingdom’s judicial and legal systems.
On October 5, AGSIW hosted a discussion on Saudi women's economic engagement.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund’s recent moves in golf and football showcase Saudi Arabia’s increasing interest in turning sports into a cornerstone of the kingdom’s transformation agenda.
Riyadh’s approach to humanitarian assistance and charitable giving, evident in the Syria relief effort, reflects significant organizational changes in line with the kingdom’s broad transformation agenda.
Easing away from its embrace of controversial regional political positions, Qatar refreshes its regional and international branding with soft power tourism, sports, and labor reforms.
National day celebrations have become a crucial element in the ongoing construction of Saudi Arabia’s national narrative, highlighting the centrality of the ruling family and its legacy in the establishment of the state.
As part of a nation-branding strategy, Saudi leaders aim to foster the kingdom’s cultural resources to improve its image abroad as a means to attract investment and align interests.
Ramadan has always been an opportunity to introduce new ideas to nudge viewers’ reactions; this year’s series are generating much-needed discussion on women’s issues.
On April 26, AGSIW hosted a discussion examining the establishment of Saudi Arabia's new national narrative.
On April 20, AGSIW hosted a workshop examining the question of state and culture in Saudi Arabia.
The public decency law aims to regulate social behavior in a way that reflects positively on Saudi Arabia’s image, the anti-harassment law is meant to regulate public behavior among individuals in society.
While Saudi leaders promote nascent rapprochement efforts with Iran on the official level, they are allowing an informal aggressive discourse, underpinning continued assertiveness toward Iran and suspicions about its motives.
Saudi government outreach acknowledges the strains of diversification plans and austerity measures while also seeking to renew the public’s interest in achieving the economic transformation's goals.
On June 2, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the economic future of expatriates and citizens in the Gulf.
This year’s Ramadan initiatives, focused on a sense of community and contributions to development, demonstrate how the Saudi government increasingly relies on citizens to play a role in the ongoing transformation.
The marginalization of religious figures in Saudi Arabia has prompted a rise of trends focusing on spirituality and meditation to promote self-awareness.
New labor reforms are an important first step to improve conditions for foreign workers and could open the door for wider reforms.
The new app Clubhouse is providing a much-needed space for contesting views and continuing debates that have been suspended for years in the Gulf.
Moderate Islam can be seen as a comprehensive strategy to tackle the kingdom’s regional and domestic concerns while at the same time reshaping the religious and social scene in line with the leadership’s new sociopolitical objectives.
The social dimension of change in the kingdom will continue to navigate a bumpy road, especially as it generates tensions and debate over the issue of decency.
Saudi Arabia has adopted strict austerity measures to combat the dual effect of falling oil prices and the coronavirus crisis. Unlike previous measures that were lifted when oil prices recovered, a July 1 VAT increase (from 5% to 15%) is more likely to stay in place, which could present challenges to low-income families, businesses, and plans to revive domestic tourism.
On May 20, AGSIW hosted a virtual panel discussion examining the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the long-standing issues confronting Gulf labor markets.
The coronavirus, along with the economic crisis due to falling oil prices, is having a direct impact on businesses in the Gulf, including migrant labor, the bulk of the work force.
The coronavirus outbreak has redefined the responsibilities of citizens and the business community, impacting the already evolving rentier state structure and highlighting economic and religious challenges
The relaxation of social norms in Saudi Arabia has proved to be both emboldening and disorienting.
Recent changes to Saudi Arabia’s school curriculum emphasize loyalty to the state and national identity, incorporating pre-Islamic history into the Saudi national narrative.
The regulations introduced to travel and civil status laws will limit the state’s ability to intervene in the private sphere.
The growing closeness between China and Saudi Arabia sheds some light on similar structural features and sociopolitical trends that have emerged in both countries, particularly the rise of parallel feminist mobilizations.
The Saudi government is moving forward steadfastly with its social modernization project, but the new policies are clashing with established norms, creating inconsistencies and uncertainties in social spaces.
The recent wave of reforms in Saudi Arabia encouraged the emergence of the “Enlightened Sheikhs” trend.
