Workshop 8 / GRM 2024
Saudi Youth ‘Policy Relevance’: Dilemmas, Challenges, Opportunities

Abstract

The following workshop tries to reach a better and more balanced understanding of dilemmas, challenges and opportunities associated with youth policy formulation and implementation in Saudi Arabia, specifically post the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Whilst the workshop looks at the Kingdom explicitly, analysis, insights and recommendations linked to the topic are also relevant to youth policy formulation across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, and indeed, the wider world. Certainly, policy makers want to be able to prioritize the most important issues. Therefore, policy makers need ‘direction’ in terms of policy formulation, policy recommendations and policy implementation, i.e., they are searching for ‘policy relevance’. Another aim of the workshop is to learn from past policy implementation, whether successful or not, because we believe that lessons can be learnt from previous youth policy initiatives: Why was this policy successful? If this policy failed, what were the reasons? Did this policy resonate with young nationals? Indeed, in Saudi Arabia, ‘policy relevance’ is particularly important for youth policy. For many young nationals, the 2017-19 socio-economic and cultural reforms opened a door of opportunity, a chance to participate in national decision-making processes and create a twenty-first century Kingdom in their own image. However, similar to elsewhere in the world, the 2020 pandemic stalled and/or altered many government and institutional plans. Hence, post-pandemic, it is imperative that ‘official’ youth policies (whether governmental or institutional) align with the changed expectations and requirements of young Saudis. Indeed, we should also recognize that youth attitudes to social change and related government initiatives such as Saudi Vision 2030 remain fluid due to the impact of the pandemic on the changing nature of domestic politico-economic and socio-cultural environments. Finally, it is important to remember that Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a transition that impacts and affects all aspects of life in the Kingdom—one that many young Saudis find simultaneously exciting, but sometimes causes apprehension. In consequence, policy relevance needs to address Saudi youth aspirations and concerns in a fast changing and unpredictable world.Drawing on the comparative experience of academics, researchers, policy makers and practitioners with knowledge and experience of youth policy making and formulation in a) Saudi Arabia, b) the region c) relevant expertise in policy formulation and implementation and d) from a theoretical perspective, the workshop will analyze the factors that either currently facilitate or constrain effective and viable youth policy making. We envisage that academics and practitioners would be drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and institutions (Saudi and non-Saudi) with the aim of not only comparing and capturing experiences, but also seeking ways in which to comprehend ‘policy relevance’ as related to effective youth policy formulation and implementation in Saudi Arabia.




Share on



More

Details


Workshop

Directors


Dr. Neil

Quilliam

Associate Fellow -
Chatham House - Middle East & North Africa Programme



Dr. Mark

C Thompson

Senior Research Fellow -
King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies


Copyright ©️ 2009 - 2024 Gulf Research Centre Cambridge. All rights reserved.
Terms, Conditions and Privacy Policy