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.
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.
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.
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.
