Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-fv566 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-17T03:46:29.643Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

6 - Distrust, Fault Lines and Recreation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2019

Mark C. Thompson
Affiliation:
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia
Get access

Summary

Many young men are frustrated because they feel they are not taken seriously. Many argue forcefully that they want the opportunity to express themselves and be valued as individuals, as well as being given the opportunity to contribute to national development. Indeed, what is the point of the government allocating such a large portion of the budget on education if the youthful population is not going to be heeded and encouraged? If this does not occur then the result will be a waste of the Kingdom’s considerable human capital. Furthermore, if decision-makers believe that young people are in no position to participate in the socio-political and economic processes, then young Saudis will feel that they are being neither listened to nor taken seriously. In contrast, and frustratingly, a young Saudi can get his message across to a global audience through the social media networks that are so widely used. In Saudi Arabia this sense of marginalization can have serious ramifications. Young men bored and frustrated can start getting into fights and driving recklessly or joyriding. This sense of marginalization and boredom is also a contributing factor in increased substance abuse and mental health issues.

Type
Chapter
Information
Being Young, Male and Saudi
Identity and Politics in a Globalized Kingdom
, pp. 236 - 280
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×