Saudi Culture Research Articles

Exploring the Meaning of Saudi Women's Traditional Dress Among a Shifting Saudi Cultural Context

Saudi Women's traditional dress had been worn for centuries but has been discarded in favor of Western fashion and regarded as stigmatized since the 2010s. However, various events have occurred over the last four years that have contributed to the possible destigmatization of Saudi women's traditional dress. We explore the shifting meaning of Saudi women's traditional dress in the contemporary Saudi context. We interviewed 14 Saudi women; data were analyzed using constant comparison processes, and four themes emerged: (a) traditional dress as a multifaceted and dynamic symbol in contemporary Saudi culture, (b) motives for wearing Saudi traditional dress in the shifting cultural context, (c) perceptions about the role of micro- and macro-level factors in altering the meanings of and behaviors toward Saudi traditional dress, and (d) asserting agency in constructing and enacting meanings and practices related to traditional dress. Participants’ choices about traditional dress reflected both macro and micro forces.

Representation of Saudi Culture in Digital Poetry

In today's world, characterized by technology and artificial intelligence, societies have become interconnected, and the global community resembles a small village. Within this digital realm, the identities of nations and their inhabitants manifest through their expressive tools and artistic forms. The recipient perceives, through the digital space, a portrayal of these societies. In the case of Saudi society, a progressive community, its artistic and literary expressions are prominently featured on social media platforms and other online spaces, both official and unofficial. These platforms serve to depict the components and cultural backgrounds of the society, which it leans upon. The digital space becomes a canvas for its aspirations, emotions, and the diverse spectrum of its orientations and tendencies. The study tracked the most prominent transformations in Saudi culture through the digital poetic text, relying on digital poetic models through which the meeting of the past with the present was presented, and monitoring the manifestations of Saudi culture and its presence in the digital poetic text. The study concluded a number of results, the most important of which is that the Saudi poetic text presented a picture of the elements of Saudi culture, and the digital poetic models were able to show the meaning and deepen it in the mind of the recipient and evoke all those elements to embody the image of Saudi culture.

A Qualitative Analysis of Cross-cultural Adjustment and Job Performance in the Hotel Industry: The Case of Saudi Arabia

Individual and organizational-level cross-cultural adjustments are necessary in the hospitality sector because of its diverse and dynamic teams and guests. The aim of this research is to comprehend the variables that explain how job performance is affected by cross-cultural adjustment. A qualitative study was carried out, with an emphasis on the traits of the Saudi culture and the opinions on job performance, satisfaction, and the overall environment at work. To determine how high-context and low-context cultural norms differ from one another and what effects they have on various levels, ten individuals were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to examine the transcribed data, find patterns, and discuss the most significant relationships. The results demonstrated that a cross-cultural adjustment in a team of hotel industry in Saudi Arabia is affected due to the lack of cultural balance and inclusiveness. This may lead to communication problems and a challenging work environment, which can affect employees' engagement and job performance. The recommendations included focusing on enhancing the present recruitment procedure to develop more culturally balanced teams and evaluating the team's time-management skills, which is a factor that makes it challenging for employees to participate in activities of diverse cultures.

Saudi Higher Education Accreditation: From Policy to Practice: Cultural Inquiry into Saudi Academics' Practices During the Implementation of Accreditation Standards

This paper investigates the relationships between Saudi cultural factors and the practices associated with the implementation of accreditation standards in Saudi higher education institutions (HEIs). Through a qualitative study involving document analysis, interviews, and observations, data was collected from a sample of 33 academic leaders and faculty members at three Saudi universities. The findings reveal a strong correlation between cultural elements and the practices of Saudi academics during the accreditation process. Using a social practice theory (SPT) approach, the study demonstrates how cultural issues influence common practices and actions, highlighting the integration of Saudi identity, traditions, and contemporary values in the implementation methods. The research underscores the importance of cultural awareness in addressing the gap between policy and practice, suggesting that modifications to accreditation guidelines should consider these cultural factors. The study also discusses the positive impact of recent educational reforms and the empowerment of women in supporting the accreditation process. These insights aim to enhance the effectiveness of accreditation efforts in Saudi Arabia, ensuring they meet international standards while respecting the local cultural context.

The Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale (MTUAS): Adaptation and Psychometric Analysis for University Students in Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study was to adapt an Arabic version of the Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale (MTUAS) to the Saudi culture and examine the psychometric properties of the adapted version in a sample of 1,709 undergraduate students. Evidence of construct validity and internal consistency reliability was first compiled through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) and Cronbach’s α coefficients. Multigroup CFA (MGCFA) was then conducted to test gender-related measurement invariance. The EFA yielded nine factors for the Usage scale and four factors for the Attitudes scale of the MTUAS, all of which were satisfactorily confirmed via CFA. Factors of the MTUAS exhibited adequate to good reliability and were gender invariant. Overall, the Arabic MTUAS displayed good psychometric properties in the Saudi undergraduate student population and was gender unbiased. Therefore, it can be used confidently across educational, public health, and marketing research in Saudi and Arabic contexts. Nevertheless, it is important to note that other psychometric properties, such as criterion-related validity, were not compiled in the present study, and the generalizability of the current findings might be restricted to the Saudi undergraduate student population. Hence, these limitations should be given more consideration in future studies by examining additional psychometric properties of the Arabic MTUAS and using comprehensive national data.

Merits and Demerits of English Language Coursebooks Designs: A Scoping Review

The evaluation process of English coursebooks in Saudi schools began long back when the English curriculum was updated in the 1980s. This paper reviews the works that have surveyed the Saudi English syllabi from the 1990s to the present. It aims to explore the timeline of the most prominent evaluation endeavors. The findings reveal that the common components of evaluations include content, form, learning tasks, and instruction methods. The majority of these attempts were executed using standardized checklists but implemented on a relatively small number of respondents. However, one study was conducted as part of a project launched by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for the development of the English curriculum. The distinctive satisfaction themes of merits among all evaluations were the visuals, syllabi appearance, and overall content. While teaching methods and the difficulty of tasks were highlighted as demerits. From a cultural perspective, syllabi tend to be contextualized in a Western way, based on the local Saudi culture. This paper recommends conducting a more comprehensive evaluation process online to cover more participants, developing a well-tailored checklist that suits the content and culture of Saudi Arabia, and considering the new technological changes in coursebooks.

Implications of Switching Codes among Saudi English Learners in an Interactive EFL Contexts

This research monitored the impact of code switching in several linguistic contexts through qualitative research methodologies. The study interviewed ten Saudi bilinguals who code-switch between English and Arabic. Five of them were males and the other 5 were females. In order to conduct comparative research, six of the respondents were living in large cities and four of them were residents of small cities in Saudi Arabia. The research concluded that bilingual Saudis implement code-switching in professional settings and they claim it is natural and is more likely to be expected. Also, English Saudi bilinguals reported that they identify with English as well as Arabic and they were less likely to believe that communicating in English discard their Saudi identity or distort it. To sum it up, this current study found that it is natural for crowded and big or large cities to expand the importance of repetitive code-switching with the availability of non-Arabic speakers in several linguistic contexts and some professional settings.

Patient satisfaction among Saudi academic hospitals: a systematic review

PurposeTo systematically review the patient’s satisfaction (PS) levels within academic hospitals in Saudi Arabia from January 2012 to the end of October 2022.Data sourcesArticles were gathered from PubMed, ProQuest, Google...

Saudi Female’s Arabic Requests: A Comparative Study of Face-to-Face and Text-Based Communications

This mix-method study aimed to investigate the influence of communication media on the realization of the speech act of request in Arabic. Thus, it examined the number of words and the type of modification devices in the request of 40 Saudi female postgraduate students in equal power situations across two communication channels: face-to-face and WhatsApp text-based interactions. The data is collected using a discourse completion task with four situations that varied in the degree of imposition and social distance. The collected data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Two samples t-test was used to analyze the collected data along with a modified version of Blum-Kulka and Olshtain’s (1984) coding scheme for categorizing the modification devices. The study found that participants produced more words in WhatsApp text-based communication than face-to-face communication, but no significant difference was found except in the context of (+I, +D). External modifiers were produced more than internal ones, especially grounders. Social distance influenced modifier frequency, while imposition only affected disarmers. The study implies modification devices are obligatory rather than optional in Saudi culture.

Identification of Child Abuse and Neglect Based on the Perception of Training Physicians in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Child abuse and neglect (CAN) affects many countries, including Saudi Arabia (SA). CAN in SA is more commonly detected in hospitals. Therefore, healthcare professionals must identify and report the cases. This study aims to assess knowledge and perceptions toward CAN among training physicians. Methodology A cross-sectional survey was conducted through a self-administrated structured questionnaire and involved 123 residents and fellows who deal with children in Jeddah, SA. The participants were recruited using convenient sampling methods. Descriptive statistics, t-test, and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results We found that approximately 78% would report their findings to the legal authority, document them, and assess their consistency with parents and the child's explanation. However, only 41.5% of the participants would report CAN to the proper authority. Most participants believed that CAN should be redefined according to Saudi culture and religious standards. In contrast, 68.9% of the participants believed that CAN cases are under-reported in SA. The main barrier to not reporting is the fear of consequences (63.4%). About 77% of the participants agreed to the need for further training. Identifying the CAN indicators was higher among those who handled a CAN case previously (median = 66.67, p = 0.023). Conclusions In conclusion, the study showed that appropriate undergraduate and postgraduatecurriculum training should be developed to strengthen future healthcare practitioners in dealing with CAN cases to protect children's welfare.

Consanguineous marriages, premarital screening, and genetic testing: a survey among Saudi university students.

Marriage among cousins or close relatives, i.e., consanguinity, is prevalent in many parts of the world, especially the Muslim world. Across civilizations, cultural norms, religious beliefs, and economic factors affect consanguineous marriages (CMs); however, such marriages have social, genetic, and health repercussions. The present study investigated the university students' attitudes regarding CMs and factors influencing their attitudes at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted at KAU Jeddah in 2023. The questionnaire was distributed via electronic media (Emails, Facebook Messenger & WhatsApp). The convenience sampling technique was used to select participants, and descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data on SPSS-26. A total of 1707 university students were part of the study (females, 1,198, 70.2%; males, 509, 29.8%). Almost half of the participants, 819 (48.0%), had parents with CMs. Most of the participants, 1,391 (81.5%), had CMs in the family. Half of the participants disagreed that parents consider marriage stable due to high compatibility and the same social relationship before and after marriage. About one-third of respondents said parents believe family marriage transmits cultural values and continuity and keeps wealth in the family. More than three-fourths of the participants stated that if marriage is arranged with first cousins, they will opt for genetic analysis (82.5%) and premarital counseling (85.2%). The personal attitudes of females (p < 0.001), undergraduate (p = 0.02), and health sciences students (p = 0.02) were more positive than their counterparts. Males (OR = 0.41; p < 0.001) and non-health sciences students (OR = 0.68; p = 0.01) were less likely to have significant positive attitudes than their counterparts. Among participants who had CM parents, males (OR = 0.397; p < 0.001) and non-health sciences students (OR = 0.60; p = 0.01) and urban residents (OR = 0.59; p = 0.01) had significantly lower odds of having a positive attitude than their counterparts. The practice of CMs is still prevalent in Saudi culture, with almost half of the participants having CM parents and the majority reporting these marriages in their families. Personal attitudes toward CMs were extremely positive. Most students prefer genetic testing and premarital counseling if marrying first cousins. Gender, faculty, parental income, and educational background influenced participants' attitudes.

FRAGMENTATION OF REVELATION AND HIDING BEHIND THE WALLS OF THE DISTANT MARGIN IN THE SAUDI FEMINIST AUTOBIOGRAPHY: An Analytical Reading of the Novel Madi, Mufrad, Mudhakkar/ Past, Singular, Masculine1 by the Saudi Writer, Omaima al-Khamis2

If the biography is a narrative type with an unimaginable reference basis, the feminist autobiography is a narrative type with a reference basis, in which the author is a woman who admits and does not imagine, as if it were unnecessary to differentiate it from the masculine autobiography, or because the latter is the dominant and the more productive, or because the human being is a terrestrial being, that has no gender. The author can be a man or a woman. However, the work remains described as a non-specialized autobiography. It is not difficult to differentiate between a male autobiography and a female autobiography, but it would be in favor of the first, the second of which appears to be subordinate to it. The autobiography was defined as a literary genre in ancient Arab literature more than a thousand years ago, and until recently it was a purely male literary genre, if we exclude some narratives of female autobiographies that we received mostly through oral narration. The autobiography in modern Arabic literature is not considered an extension of the ancient Arabic autobiography as much as a tradition of Western models of autobiography. In Saudi culture, the autobiography is still unknown as much as the novel or the story and the play, and to be common it took enough time to emerge from the cycle of contempt, whether as a produced text or a receptive text.

The Impact of Online Education on the Islamic Values of Female Faculty Members during the Lockdown

This research focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown-induced online education on the individual value systems within the Saudi value system embedded in Islam and Saudi culture, experienced by the faculty members of the Islamic Studies Department of a Saudi College of Education. The research reviews the pros and cons of online education, individual value systems within the broader Saudi value system, specifications of the Saudi value system and its significance in Islamic studies. The analysis of the study comprises responses from the selected female faculty members of the Saudi College of Education’s Islamic Studies Department through MAXQDA codes and their relevance to the value system of each individual, highlighting reinforced, weakened and disappeared values. The study demonstrates that whereas such phenomena reinforce certain values, they also weaken several others and cause the elimination or emergence of new values. This study also demonstrates that religious, knowledge and behavioural categories of values demonstrate the strengthening, weakening and disappearance of certain values. It shows that the Saudi system of values registers the loss of several values in these three categories, including the emergence of some negative ones. The research points to the inclusion of broader population sampling within the same and different contexts to broaden the scope of the research.

The NEST/NNEST Binary and Translingual Identity of U.S.-Educated EFL Instructors in Saudi Arabia: A Study on Linguistic and Cultural Navigation in the Classroom

This study contributes to the Global Southern epistemological debates on the professional identity negotiations of Global-North-educated English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructors. Using semi-structured interviews, the study analyses how two Saudi Arabian EFL instructors, during their PhD studies in the United States, and upon their return home, coped with the phenomenon of native-speakerism and navigated their way through the binary of Native English-Speaking Teachers (NEST) and Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNEST) in their teaching. They appreciated their Western education not due to the traditional privileged-Global-North-and-underprivileged-Global-South binary but because of the many ways in which it helped them negotiate their translingual identity. They saw themselves as better placed to give constructive feedback to learners but critiqued the NESTs’ inability to base themselves in the local culture and positioned themselves above NESTs due to their knowledge of indigenous Saudi culture. Thus, they dismantled the traditional privilege associated with native-speakerism but did not hail one category over the other. Instead, they picked from both categories the materials, ways, means and attitudes that best served their purpose. They strove for hybridity. Through their negotiation of their foreign education and local challenges, they developed a unique translingual identity.

The Representation of Women in Saudi Film: The Case of Amra and the Second Marriage

Female representation in film continues to be a new area of research in Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia. Mahmoud Sabbagh, the writer and director of the Netflix film Amra and the Second Marriage, has portrayed Saudi women in various ways. His work was recognized with the Best Film award at the Cinematic Festival of Film Across Three Continents in Milan. The current study examines female stereotypes as portrayed in this film, employing a mixed-method approach of quantitative content analysis and qualitative thematic analysis. The study&amp;rsquo;s conceptual framework draws on representation theory and feminist theory to explore the depiction of female stereotypes in this digital Saudi film. A total of 20 females were recruited in this study from the online film. The findings revealed that Amra and the Second Marriage represented twenty Saudi female characters, with half of them being mature adults. Approximately 40% of these characters were portrayed as modern, and around 35% were depicted as belonging to the upper class. Less than half of the characters were shown without wearing the hijab. The film also depicted several stereotypes of Saudi women as weak and sacrificial, reinforcing negative stereotypes about Saudi culture as traditional and masculine. Furthermore, the movie showcased both &amp;lsquo;religious&amp;rsquo; and &amp;lsquo;gossip&amp;rsquo; stereotypes that mirror aspects of Saudi culture. Interestingly, the film also explored the theme of &amp;lsquo;corrupt women,&amp;rsquo; a less common portrayal in Saudi culture.

Examining the Vocabulary Knowledge and Idiomatic Structures of EFL Learners in a Culturally - Oriented Learning Context

This study looked into how cultural background knowledge affected the vocabulary and idiomatic phrases of Saudi pre-intermediate EFL students. Only 60 out of 100 EFL students who conducted the Oxford Quick Placement Test for this reason were chosen. Group 1 (American Culture; AC), Group 2 (Saudi Culture; SC), and Group 3 (Culture-Free; CF) were created by randomly selecting the responses. After that, each group was pre-tested on vocabulary and idioms. The groups' respondents were then given three different treatments. For the treatment, the SC group received instruction on 10 texts related to Saudi traditions and culture; the AC group received instruction on 10 texts containing vocabulary and idiomatic structures pertinent to the American culture; and the CF group received instruction on 10 texts that were culture-free but still contained some phrases and idiomatic structures. The data collected were examined and analyzed employing one-way ANOVA in addition to paired sample t-test following the instruction, which was broken up into 10 sessions of 60 minutes each. According to the findings, the AC and SC groups outperformed the CF group. Further, there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test of the SC, with Sig (.00) &lt; 0.05, suggesting that teaching English vocabulary and idioms from the Saudi culture had a substantial impact. Finally, the results also showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test of the AC group as Sig (.00) &lt; 0.05, suggesting that teaching English vocabulary and idioms from the American culture had an influential impact on the participants. There are several ramifications of this study for instructors, and curriculum designers.

Problem of Identity between Theory and Practice: Saudi Arabia as a Case Study

Objectives: This study aims at analyzing and investigating the problem of identity between theory and practice through studying different aspects of Saudi identity as well as questions related to it. Methods: This study has employed a case study approach in order to analyze primary and secondary literature on this subject matter. This method of research would enable the researcher to provide an in-depth investigation and understanding of different variables and influences of the Saudi identity. Results: Social and economic transformations in Saudi Arabia, dictates, to diversify resources of revenue that could generate social and economic challenges. Therefore, social responsibility should be observed in order to establish an effective and institutional social system. Moreover, the emerging national identity should not be perceived as exclusionary and a replacement to the traditional Saudi identity. Furthermore, in relation to foreign policy, state sovereignty should be emphasized as well as the principle of non-intervention in other states affairs. In addition to that, a vast regional and international reference should be established in order to tackle disputed issues with regional and international parties as regional and international stability is a high Saudi interest. Conclusion: This study concludes that Saudi identity in its traditional and conservative aspects was established and developed within a context of social, historical, political, religious and economic interaction with a dominant religious discourse. However, the ongoing current developments within the context of the 2030 Vision started to change the concept of Saudi identity towards pluralist and open national identity This study has employed a case study approach in addition to certain theoretical perspectives related to identity problem in order to analyse primary and secondary literature on this subject matter so understand different dynamics of Saudi identity. This study concludes that Saudi identity in its traditional and conservative aspect was established and developed within a context of social, historical, political, religious and economic interaction with a dominant religious discourse. However, the ongoing current developments within the context of 2030 Vision started to change the concept of Saudi identity towards pluralist and open national identity.

Culture in early childhood education: Insights into Saudi preschool teaching

Culture is constructed by society and in turn constructs the identity of a people. The patterns of behaviors, practices, and values shared by a group of people represent and reflect their ethnic, religious, and gender orientations. Knowledge about people’s cultural backgrounds contributes to our understanding of the role of education in shaping past, present, and future generations. Therefore, this study explores preschool teachers’ cultural views regarding the teaching of young children in a Saudi early childhood education setting. A phenomenological qualitative research approach is used in this study. Data are collected through semistructured focus group interviews with 10 preschool teachers who teach young children in public preschools located in the western region of Saudi Arabia. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data reveals two main themes in the teachers’ narratives: i) Religion-based instruction; and ii) Gender-related issues. The participants in this study reported engaging in a set of practices that showed how their cultural identities, including their nationality, gender, religious beliefs, and history, influenced their roles as educators. Within the rich cultural context of Saudi culture, the teachers reported being strongly committed to their social and spiritual values when teaching young children.

Cultural and linguistic appropriateness of a web-based breastfeeding educational resource for Saudi women: Consensus development conference approach

AimThe purpose of this study was to investigate the cultural and linguistic appropriateness of the content, images and layout of the web-based breastfeeding educational resource for Saudi women using a consensus development approach. BackgroundAlthough the World Health Organization highly recommends exclusive breastfeeding, there is a decline in breastfeeding rates in Saudi Arabia, especially during hospital stay. The combining of health professional support with e-technology tools has been proposed as a method to increase exclusive breastfeeding. However, the cultural and linguistic appropriateness of an e-technology-based approach has not been explored in Saudi women. MethodsAfter developing a content draft of the web-based breastfeeding educational resource specific to Saudi culture, an online consensus development conference was organised with ten participants including two university researchers and eight health care providers to investigate the cultural and linguistic appropriateness of the educational content. The participants from Saudi Arabia were Saudi mothers who had breastfeeding experiences and were key maternity health professionals employed at the Maternity and Children Hospital of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The SQUIRE checklist was used in the reporting of this study. ResultsFeedback received prior to the meeting showed that 81% of the content was acceptable and minor changes were required. Changes were made to the content based on the suggestions and feedback received. The consensus group accepted all the changes and the content was finalised. ConclusionsThe online consensus development conference was found to be a very convenient way to decide on the cultural and linguistic appropriateness of the content of the web-based breastfeeding educational resource allowing the participation of experts from different countries; this was considered a critical step in ensuring the successful implementation of the intervention.

Examination of the Identities that Define Saudi Arabia's Foreign Policy within the Theory of Social Construction

Social constructivism theory, one of the theories of the field of international relations, deals with the current problems of modern life and offers solutions to them. Identity structuring in the nation-building process and the elements that make up identity constitute one of the main working subjects of social constructionists. In this study, Islam, Wahhabism, Bedouinism, regional leadership, energy geopolitics, which are effective in the foreign policy determination process of Saudi Arabia, will be tried to be explained through the constructivism theory as the main factors that determine the Saudi identity. Along with the semantic changes that Saudi identity has expressed for Saudi Arabia from the past, its effect on current politics is determined, and the geopolitical position of Saudi Arabia and the strategic orientations caused by this position are discussed. In addition, the policies that Saudi Arabia started to follow in the post-Arab Spring period are examined, especially with an emphasis on its relationship with the Islamic identity. A holistic framework for Saudi Arabia's foreign policy will be drawn by listing various approaches to the identities mentioned in the article. It will also focus on the internal dynamics that are important in the formation of Saudi Arabia's foreign policy identities.