Riyadh: Dr Nadjia. Managing the shifting architecture of global displacement from a Gulf vantage point.

How Saudi Arabia’s Social Transformation is Reshaping its Approach to Refugee Aid

For a lawyer trained in European asylum law, working across global displacement zones is standard fare. Doing so from Riyadh, however, o#RefugeeAid – Targets global audiences, organizations, and researchers looking specifically into humanitarian relief, aid work, and displacement policies.

by Dahlia Rahaimy | 24th Aug 2026

Viewpoints

An old well at the Al Diriyah ruins, the Kingdom’s former capital, symbolizing centuries of water management and community life in Saudi Arabia.

From Wells to Wonders: Saudi Arabia’s Society and Its Water

In Saudi Arabia, water has long shaped settlement, mobility, and social life. With no rivers and few reliable springs, generations relied on rainfall, wells, and ancient channels—from Ain Zubaydah’s thousand-year-old aqueduct to modern collection systems—to survive. That history still shapes the kingdom’s relationship with water, even as desalination now meets most needs.

Feb 26, 2026

Close-up of Makkah Tower in the city, highlighting its role in the daily life and religious landscape.

Religion in Saudi Arabia: Faith, Reform and Public Debate

As Ramadan approaches, questions about religion in Saudi Arabia often focus on politics: does Islam dominate the state or restrict society? Yet daily life tells a different story. Saudis observe fasting and additional prayers like Tarawih and Tahajjud out of conviction, navigating challenges while reinforcing family bonds, community ties, and a shared moral rhythm that underpins society.

Feb 21, 2026

Abstract architectural corridor in Saudi Arabia symbolising the tension between trust-based systems and institutional transparency in a modernising society.

How Saudi Arabia Runs on Trust

To outsiders, Saudi society can feel opaque. Decisions move quickly, explanations come late, and outcomes often hinge on relationships rather than procedures. For those used to systems built on transparency—clear rules, written processes, visible accountability—this can feel unsettling. Something seems to be missing. It is not order. It is articulation.

Feb 16, 2026

Japanese language books and a tourist guide manual on a desk, representing Noura Alharbi’s self-taught journey toward language certification and a guide license.

Crossing Scripts: A Saudi Woman’s Study of Japan

While most language learners opt for French or Spanish, Noura Alharbi took a different route. From a quiet town in Qassim, she taught herself Japanese, earned a tourism license, and now dreams of bridging cultures between Saudi Arabia and Japan. Her journey reflects a growing spirit among young Saudis: a willingness to follow passion over convention—and to prepare even when opportunities are not yet guaranteed.

Feb 3, 2026

Photographer standing at the Edge of the World escarpment near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, overlooking the desert landscape.

How the Gulf Learns to See Itself

Photography in the Gulf has long done more than document appearances. From black-and-white family albums to contemporary exhibitions such as Making Space, images have quietly recorded how space is lived, shared, and remembered — often capturing social change before it is named.

Dec 18, 2025

Updating Saudi Arabia’s Image, One Joke at a Time

Saudi Arabia’s latest tourism campaign does something rare: it laughs at the clichés that once defined it. With dry humour and quiet confidence, it shows a country telling its own story on its own terms.

Dec 7, 2025

Minimalist red-and-beige illustration showing a Saudi man walking from an oil pumpjack toward a modern office building, symbolising Saudi Arabia’s transition from oil-based work to skill-driven service jobs.

The Quiet Revolution in Saudi Jobs

Work in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a quiet but profound shift. Jobs that once guaranteed security, status, and a desk in a ministry are giving way to roles that demand skills, adaptability, and competition. The change is economic, but also social: careers now shape identity, ambition, and mobility in ways that previous generations never had to consider.

Nov 25, 2025

View of the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s white geometric buildings set over turquoise water, with the museum’s dome behind them, seen on a clear Gulf morning.

Museums and Memory: Why the Gulf’s Cultural Turn Matters for Saudis

The Gulf is rethinking culture. In his ICOM Dubai address, Zaki Nusseibeh — Cultural Advisor to the UAE President and Chancellor of UAE University — captured a growing regional conviction: museums are no longer quiet repositories of memory but active forces shaping identity, belonging, and the pace of change. For Saudi Arabia, that shift could not be more timely.

Nov 21, 2025

A minimalist illustration on a red background showing an open book, an artist’s palette with a paintbrush, and an oud placed side by side, symbolising literature, visual arts, and music in Saudi culture.

Alzahrani’s Argument for Culture as a National Resource

Culture is moving from the margins of Saudi life to the centre of its public conversation. As Dr. Hatem Alzahrani recently argued, investing in creativity is becoming a way for the country to understand itself — not just an economic choice, but a social shift many Saudis now feel.

Nov 18, 2025

How Saudi Arabia’s Social Transformation is Reshaping its Approach to Refugee Aid