Madawi Al-Rasheed, a Saudi dissident and author, joins BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen to discuss her book, which critiques the façade of reform in Saudi Arabia under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. They explore how the crown prince's social changes, like allowing women to drive, mask a regime that still crushes dissent. The conversation delves into the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the regime's use of disinformation, and challenges the Western perception of dictatorship as necessary for stability in the kingdom.
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insights INSIGHT
MBS's Rise to Power
Mohammed bin Salman's (MBS) rise to power wasn't inevitable, but the 2011 Arab uprisings played a role.
The Saudi regime chose a young prince to introduce social and economic liberalization while preserving the monarchy.
insights INSIGHT
Shifting Succession
Saudi succession traditionally passed horizontally between brothers.
King Salman shifted this to a vertical line, promoting MBS and sidelining other princes.
insights INSIGHT
Ritz-Carlton Detainment
MBS's Ritz-Carlton detainment wasn't about corruption, but consolidating power and suppressing potential rivals.
He lacked full royal family consensus and feared coups.
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We Can Be Heroes: A Survivor's Story is a memoir by Paul Burston that chronicles his experiences living through two pandemics, surviving two near-death experiences, and battling his own personal demons. The book offers a compelling narrative of resilience and survival.
The Son King
Reform and Repression in Saudi Arabia
Madawi Al-Rasheed
In 'The Son King: Reform and Repression in Saudi Arabia', Madawi Al-Rasheed examines the dual nature of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman's reforms, highlighting the tension between progressive changes and repressive measures. The book critiques the Saudi regime's propaganda and challenges Orientalist views on governance in the Middle East, providing a comprehensive look at the challenges facing the Saudi nation.
In 2018 journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi regime operatives, shocking the world and drawing widespread condemnation. Mohammad bin Salman, the kingdom’s young crown prince, denied any involvement in the killing but his reputation as a moderniser was tarnished. Bin Salman had tried to build an international reputation as a reformer by allowing women to drive and permitting concerts in Saudi Arabia for the first time, but the brutal killing reminded the world that the kingdom was still one of the most repressive societies on earth.
In December 2020, Madawi Al-Rasheed, a Saudi dissident and author of the new book The Son King, came to Intelligence Squared to describe what she sees as essentially a con-trick: a purported programme of reforms that mask a new regime of oppression. In conversation with the BBC’s Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen, she discussed the Saudi regime’s new online strategy of disinformation intended to promote a progressive image to the outside world, while cracking down on diverse critical voices—religious scholars, feminists and dissident youth at home. Al-Rasheed will also challenge what she calls an Orientalist view of despotism in the West, that sees dictatorship as the only pathway to stable governance in the kingdom.
To find out more and order the book click here: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-son-king/
Intelligence Squared 
