Religion, oil, and war bent to the House of Saud's will to dominate Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East Religion, oil, and war bent to the House of Saud's will to dominate Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East

In recent years the ruling family in Saudi Arabia, the House of Saud, has promoted the oil-rich kingdom as an open, liberalizing nation that has invested in culture, tourism, and social innovation to become a beacon for the region. International political manoeuvring, sports sponsorship, and the Vision 2030 programme with its vast architectural planning declare a bold future. But the murder in October 2018 of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul reveals a darker reality: one of intensifying political and religious repression. This is within the tumultuous context of the war in Yemen, sectarian rivalry with Iran, the crisis in Gaza, and volatile relations with the United States.

Malise Ruthven, a leading commentator on Islamic affairs, reconstructs the nation's history. He shows how the royal house co-opted Wahhabism to consolidate its power and enforce authoritarianism in collusion with Western businesses and governments. Unholy Kingdom looks to the nation's future in the hands of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who touts the country's liberalisation while aggressively imposing his will upon the region.

This essential book traces the shifting fault lines in the Middle East to determine Saudi Arabia's place in our volatile times.

Autorentext

Malise Ruthven

Klappentext

Reveals a riveting portrait of a nation mired in complexities. In recent years Saudi Arabia has promoted itself as an open country: oil-rich but investing in culture, tourism, social innovation, and establishing itself as a beacon in the Middle East mired in violence. But the murder in October 2018 of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Istanbul embassy reveals a darker reality: the intensification of the repression of religious and political criticism and protest driven by the war in Yemen, sectarian rivalry with Iran, and volatile relations with the United States during the Trump administration. In Unholy Kingdom, Malise Ruthven, a leading commentator on Islamic affairs, reconstructs the history of the nation and shows how its attempts to modernise itself have produced repression, corruption, and war across the region fuelled by the massive arms purchases paid for by the oil exports that contribute to global warming. In particular he shows how the royal House of Saud has co-opted Wahhabism to consolidate its power and enforce a strict authoritarian regime over its people in collusion with Western businesses and governments. The book looks to Saudi's future in the hands of crown prince MBS who, on one hand, isdriving the country's liberalisation, while on the other, is imposing his autocratic will upon the region through cyber-manipulation, economics and war.

Zusammenfassung
Religion, oil, and war bent to the House of Saud's will to dominate Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East

Inhalt

Map

1. Murder in Istanbul
2. The Wahhabi Mission
3. Ibn Saud Founder of a Kingdom
4. Petroleum and Patriarchy
5. Managing the Ulama and Mismanaging the Hajj
6. Conflicting Currents
7. A Sectarian Outreach
8. Arms and Benefits
9. Family Values
10. Terraforming Arabia
    Epilogue

Acknowledgements
Notes
Index