Charity in Saudi Arabia : civil society under authoritarianism

Author(s)

    • Derbal, Nora

Bibliographic Information

Charity in Saudi Arabia : civil society under authoritarianism

Nora Derbal

(Cambridge Middle East studies, 68)

Cambridge University Press, 2022

  • : hardback

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Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 307-338) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

In this innovative study of everyday charity practices in Jeddah, Nora Derbal employs a 'bottom-up' approach to challenge dominant narratives about state-society relations in Saudi Arabia. Exploring charity organizations in Jeddah, this book both offers a rich ethnography of associational life and counters Riyadh-centric studies which focus on oil, the royal family, and the religious establishment. It closely follows those who work on the ground to provide charity to the local poor and needy, documenting their achievements, struggles and daily negotiations. The lens of charity offers rare insights into the religiosity of ordinary Saudis, showing that Islam offers Saudi activists a language, a moral frame, and a worldly guide to confronting inequality. With a view to the many forms of local community activism in Saudi Arabia, this book examines perspectives that are too often ignored or neglected, opening new theoretical debates about civil society and civic activism in the Gulf.

Table of Contents

  • 1. Introduction: Civil society theory, charity, and inequality in Saudi Arabia
  • 2. Meanings of welfare: The First Women's Welfare Association in Jeddah
  • 3. Managing poverty and national development: The Society of Majid bin 'Abd al-'Aziz for Development and Social Services
  • 4. Negotiating citizenship and belonging: The Young Initiative Group
  • 5. Fun, freedom, and personal growth amid rising repression: The Hikers
  • 6. Conclusion: Civil society activism and everyday Islam in Saudi Arabia.

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