The Kingdom: Saudi Arabia and the Challenge of the 21st Century

The prominence of Saudi Arabia in international relations today is undisputed. Bringing together contributors from the worlds of business, politics, journalism and academia, provides a much-needed context to the role that Saudi Arabia plays today. In so doing, it unravels the contradictions and complexities of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the West. brings together a fascinating and diverse group of authors, including such established figures as Madawi Al-Rasheed, Khalid Al-Dakhil, Badriyyah Al-Bishr, Saad Sowayan and Mona Eltahawy. The chapters range widely in their subject matter, from reformism under King Abdullah to Saudi Arabia's role as a regional power broker, thereby revealing the great breadth of issues preoccupying Saudis and others as they seek to build a modern state without compromising their powerful attachment to the religious, cultural and historical traditions which are the bedrock of Saudi society. The book is divided into four sections: Saudi domestic political issues, the Kingdom's role in regional affairs, studies of Saudi society, and cultural and religious life in the Kingdom.