Women's work in Saudi Arabia: an analysis of tradition and change (Ph.D. Thesis)

This thesis examines the effects of economic growth and development on the traditional roles of women in Saudi Arabia. There are three main elements that affect women's social status and have lent to preserving the traditional conservative customs: the interpretation and application of shari`a law (particularly the Hanbali school), Saudi customs and familial life, and government policy in response to modernization. This research incorporates both English and Arabic sources, including interviews with Saudi women, to provide historical, social, political, and religious perspectives on women's roles in society. The prevailing viewpoint expressed in the interviews is that Saudi women prefer slower changes within the existing traditional societal framework as opposed to more radical shifts.