The Big Gamble of Mohammed bin Salman – and Saudi Arabia
Aggressive moves both at home and in global oil markets demonstrate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s control over decision making, with the Saudi public invested as never before.
Kristin Smith Diwan
Senior Resident Scholar
Kristin Smith Diwan is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. Her current projects concern generational change, nationalism, and the evolution of Islamism in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Her analysis of Gulf affairs has appeared in many publications, among them Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, and The Washington Post.
Diwan was previously an assistant professor at the American University School of International Service and has held visiting scholar positions at the George Washington University and Georgetown University. From 2013-14 she served as a visiting senior fellow at the Atlantic Council where she published on youth movements and participated in the Strategic Dialogue for a New US-Gulf Partnership.
Diwan received her PhD from Harvard University and holds an MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She completed her undergraduate degree at Baylor University in Texas, her home state.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Videos content-type in which the post is published
Mark C. Thompson on the Identity of Saudi Male Youth
Kristin Smith Diwan sat down with Mark C. Thompson to discuss his research on the generational shift in attitudes of Saudi men.
Videos content-type in which the post is published
2020 Outlook: What AGSIW Will Be Tracking This Year
AGSIW experts explain what regional trends they’ll be following most closely as the year unfolds.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Oman’s New Sultan Unlikely to Pursue Qaboos’ Monopoly of Power
Sultan Haitham will need to balance powerful interests while engaging all parties, especially as he tackles economic policy.
Videos content-type in which the post is published
U.S-Iranian Tensions: The Gulf Arab States
Kristin Smith Diwan and Hussein Ibish discuss the role for the Gulf Arab states in de-escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Kuwait Shakes Up Its Government amid Charges of Corruption
Kuwait’s government resigns amid charges of embezzlement, as both the Parliament and ruling family prepare for impending elections – and a looming succession.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Bahrain’s Royal Family Adjusts for the Future
The recent elevation of Bahrain’s young prince, Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa, to national security advisor is the latest indication of maneuvers to secure the future hierarchy of the monarchy.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Saudi Ambition Confronts New Vulnerability
Saudi Vision 2030 champions national pride and a new economy of tourism and technology. But a direct hit on the kingdom’s central oil processing plant at Abqaiq ruthlessly reveals: As yet, the kingdom’s future still depends on allies, and oil.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
The Manama Workshop and the Course of Normalization in the Gulf
The “Peace to Prosperity” workshop in Bahrain may have been less about Palestinian prosperity and more about drawing Arab, especially Gulf, countries into the Middle East peace process – and into deeper normalization with Israel.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
In a Region Beset by Zero-Sum Conflicts, Oman Remains Open to All
Avoiding provocation of international powers and regional neighbors, Oman remains determined to make its connections to all sides a strategic asset.