Defying Transience: Urban Landscapes in the Gulf States
The khaleeji city embraces the fleeting and transitory. Yet amid this transience, migrants have attempted to create a home and set down roots.
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Storytelling in Today’s Saudi Arabia
The drama series “Al-Asouf” vividly captures the trend of telling Saudi stories with Saudi actors and its power in shaping the public’s perceptions and aspirations.
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Ramadan Messaging and the Winds of Change
The Ramadan series "Al-Asouf" folds seamlessly into the current mainstream Saudi media narrative, as the country focuses on developing its homegrown industries and nationalist rhetoric.
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Transforming Riyadh: A New Urban Paradigm?
Through a series of megaprojects aimed at beautifying the city, Riyadh has the potential to offer a unique model of urbanity that can be a counterpoint to the more speculative trends pervasive in the region.
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Saudi Arabia Sings a Nationalist Tune
Turki Al Sheikh, a larger-than-life figure in the crown prince’s close inner circle, is leading a rise of nationalist music in the Saudi mainstream.
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Culture and the City: The Promise of Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Quarter
Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Quarter, opened at the site of what was long the city's social and cultural heart, is unique in its integration of culture and space, and could serve as a model for urban regeneration.
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Abdullah Al-Busais: Fiction Writing in the Gulf
AGSIW spoke with Kuwaiti poet and novelist Abdullah Al-Busais about the growing interest in literature among Gulf youth, publishing and censorship issues, and the recent book fair in Kuwait.
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Muhannad Shono: Creating His Own Saudi Narrative
When Muhannad Shono began his career Saudi's creative economy was not a domain to be celebrated in the kingdom.
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The Gulf Arab States in Venice: Architecture, Representation, and the Perils of Politics
Five Arab countries are participating in the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, including, for the first time, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
“Yes We Cannes”: Cinematic Diversification in Saudi Arabia
Ahmad bin Fahd Al-Mezyed, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Culture, used the 2018 Cannes Film Festival as a cinematic backdrop to garner international interest in the Saudi film and television industry.
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Through its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.
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