‘Kneel at the Altar of Productivity’. Or Perhaps Don’t.
STEVE ROYSTON: Workers in the Middle East may be forgiven for pointing out the double standards of Western economists when discussing the issue of productivity
“Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor…’ Or Perhaps Not.
ABU MOHAMMED: Witnessing the plight of a once popular actress reminded me of my own time spent on the streets. The American promise doesn’t always deliver.
‘Khalas’: Saudis Halt Unemployment Scheme
CROSSROADS ARABIA: The Saudi authorities appear to have shut down the Hafiz programme launched with much fanfare last November
Saudi University Demos ‘Unnerve Authorities’
ROB L. WAGNER: The normally tranquil King Khalid University has seen violent demonstrations over recent days.
The Saudi Enigma: Rich but No Job For Many
CROSSROADS ARABIA: It’s a very rich country but faces a serious unemployment problem. Why so and what to do?
Internships, Influence, And What Matters
STEVE ROYSTON: It’s fine to enjoy the discomfiture of a prominent politician. But let’s not get into a froth about issues well down the strategic scale, and concentrate on what matters: education.
Failed Saudization Policy: The Finger Pointing Begins
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Saudization is simply not working so someone’s got to be doing something wrong. There seems no end of potential culprits.
Bahrain in the Balance: How Did it Come to This?
MISHAAL AL GERGAWI: Failure to engage in dialogue will prolong the political stalemate, lead to further radicalisation on both sides.
Saying No to An ‘Open Sesame’ Welfare Agenda
MISHAAL AL GERGAWI: That the GCC is able to cooperate and function so well is both comforting and alarming. Comforting because it confirms the council still functions, alarming because it only does so in self-preservation mode.
Sharp Divides Emerge over Saudi Reforms
STEVE ROYSTON: It’s not easy for a nation to move from a state where all things flow from the King to one where a country’s wealth belongs to its citizens.
Labour: The GCC’s Most Dangerous Addiction
STEVE ROYSTON: Low-paid migrant workers keep their host countries running by doing the jobs that the locals refuse to do. Their presence is resented by many.
Saudi Handouts Buy Time – But How Much..?
CROSSROADS ARABIA: More than 90,000 government employees in the Kingdom will have their job status converted from ‘temporary’ to ‘permanent’. Good news for them but is it enough?
The Reasons Why Saudi Arabia Will Not Fall
ROB L. WAGNER: Western analysts are engaging in wishful thinking that Saudi Arabia is ripe for a revolution. The Kingdom is no Egypt or Tunisia.
The Crisis in the Arab World – The Long View
STEVE ROYSTON: A focus on regeneration will have a longer-lasting effect than quick political fixes that will do nothing to alleviate the lot of the frustrated…
Quiet Revolution: The Saudi, Female Brain Drain
ROB L. WAGNER: Saudi Arabia is sending thousands of women to foreign universities to obtain undergrad and postgrad degrees. Job prospects upon returning home are dim.
After Tunisia: Choosing the Society We Want
STEVE ROYSTON: It’s about building societies in which people are not afraid to think for themselves, and are free to express themselves without fear of censorship or persecution…
Daunting: The Many Challenges Facing Arab Youth
AHMED AL OMRAN: Identity, lack of economic opportunity, freedom of expression – these are just some of the issues facing young people throughout the Arab World.
Labour to let – why ‘workers stranded’ stories are set to rise
‘Labourers Stranded’ stories are likely to increase over the following months as projects finally get completed, but precious few new ones move in behind them to keep workers gainfully employed.
