Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted حقوق نزلاء مراكز الإصلاح والتأهيل في ظل الاتفاقيات الدولية والتشريعين الأردني والسعودي(جامعة الزرقاء بالأردن, 2025) الرويلي, هدى; القضاة, محمد حسينتتناولت الباحثة في هذه الدراسة موضوع حقوق نزلاء مراكز الإصلاح والتأهيل في ظل الاتفاقيات الدولية والتشريعين الأردني والسعودي، حيث تحدثت عن ماهية النزلاء وحقوقهم وفقاً لقواعد القانون الدولي والتشريعات الوطنية، وتحدثت عن حقوق والتزامات النزلاء الواردة في كل من التشريعات الوطنية والاتفاقيات والمعاهدات الدولية بشيء من التفصيل، وتتمحور مشكلة الدراسة في بيان مدى كفاية النصوص القانونية الناظمة لموضوع حقوق النزلاء في كل من التشريعين الأردني والسعودي والاتفاقيات والمعاهدات الدولية، وبنفس الوقت بيان ما إذا كانت الأدوات الرقابية على مراكز الإصلاح محققة لفاعليتها ومنتجة لآثارها، والوقوف على أوجه القصور التشريعي في النصوص التي تحكمها.3 0Item Restricted Visual Public Health Communication Strategies: A Case of The Saudi Ministry of Health During The COVID-19 Pandemic(Saudi Digital Library, 2025-08-26) Omar, Afnan; Osman, IdilThis study investigates the visual public health communication strategies employed by the Saudi Ministry of Health (MoH) during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on how cultural elements such as traditional Saudi values and collective cultural norms influenced the interpretation of visual messaging. It also examines the impact of Saudi Arabia’s broader national development Vision 2030 on these visual communications. This study explores how the MoH’s strategies not only addressed the immediate health crisis but also conveyed cultural and political messages. It analyses how visual representations of COVID 19 messages reflected and interacted with prevailing cultural norms and ideological perspectives. The study relies on two main data sources: content from the official Twitter account of the Saudi MoH, and semi-structured interviews with key MoH personnel, including decision-makers, elites, and designers. A qualitative research methodology was adopted. The multimodal social-semiotic (MSS) approach was applied to the visual Twitter content, while thematic analysis was used for the interview data. The dataset comprised nine visual Twitter posts and interviews with 20 Ministry of Health participants. Findings reveal that the MoH used visual communication not only for public health messaging but also to promote sociocultural values such as tradition, social responsibility, and community cohesion supporting Saudi Arabia’s collectivist cultural framework. Political figures were prominently featured as “role models” visually reinforcing hierarchical state authority and limiting the emphasis on participatory public engagement. Additionally, the study uncovers the strategic use of imagery associated with modernisation and social reform, particularly gender representation and women’s empowerment, reflecting alignment with Vision 2030’s goals for national transformation. The study concludes that sociocultural visual elements were deliberately employed during the pandemic to advance both health awareness and broader national agendas, contributing to an understanding of visual public health communication in a sociocultural context.3 0Item Restricted Strategic Overthrow: Analyzing Law Enforcement Tactics in the Takedown of Major Darknet Markets(Saudi Digital Library, 2024) Alajmi, Duha; Fitton, OllyThis dissertation examines law enforcement operations against major darknet markets—Silk Road, AlphaBay, Hansa, and Hydra. Using thematic analysis and cross-case comparison, it explores tactics, international cooperation, and the resilience of the darknet ecosystem. Findings show that while takedowns cause short-term disruption, the community adapts quickly by migrating to new platforms. Innovative strategies, such as using Hansa as a honeypot, provided valuable intelligence but did not permanently dismantle the ecosystem. The study concludes that comprehensive approaches—targeting financial systems, infrastructure, and fostering sustained international collaboration—are essential to improve the effectiveness of future operations.2 0Item Restricted Crowdfunding in Saudi Arabia: Practices and Perceptions(University of Dundee, 2025) Almutairi, Mohammad Lafi; Burton, Bruce; Ahmed, Ahmed HassanCrowdfunding represents an alternative financing method characterised by its communitarian ethos and reliance on digital technologies. While extensively developed in the United States and Europe, crowdfunding in emerging economies, including Saudi Arabia, remains under-researched. This study critically examines how institutional factors shape crowdfunding in Saudi Arabia and explores its growth potential. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected through a questionnaire survey (n=152) and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. The findings reveal that coercive pressures from regulatory bodies such as the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and Capital Market Authority (CMA) strongly influence platform operations, particularly promoting debt-based models over equity crowdfunding. Normative pressures, especially Sharia compliance, play a major role in building trust among users. Mimetic behaviours were also observed as new platforms imitate the strategies of established ones to achieve legitimacy. Debt crowdfunding, offering more predictable returns and Sharia-aligned contracts, has flourished, while equity crowdfunding faces difficulties due to regulatory caps, low liquidity, and investor conservatism. Despite relatively low public awareness and financial literacy, the sector shows strong growth potential. Policy initiatives to improve education, create secondary markets, and refine regulations could support crowdfunding's broader adoption. Institutional theory offers a comprehensive framework to interpret how regulatory, cultural, and competitive forces shape the sector’s evolution. As Saudi Arabia pursues Vision 2030 goals, crowdfunding is positioned to contribute to SME financing and entrepreneurship if institutional challenges are carefully addressed.4 0Item Restricted Shaping Luxury Brand Perceptions: Parasocial Relationships Between Saudi Female Followers and Instagram Influencers(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Geoffrey, Shahla Mohammed; Ibrahim, YasminThis research is one of the few studies that focuses on parasocial relationships, Instagram influencers (i.e., the Instafamous), and consumers’ luxury brand perceptions in a Saudi Arabian context. It aims to provide insight into the complex dynamics of the parasocial relationships between the Instafamous and consumers of luxury brands on social media. The intention is to explore the nature and dimensions of these relationships, and how they shape Saudi female followers’ perceptions and endorsements of luxury brands. Building on the convergence between the primary theory of parasocial relationships and the complementary social influence theory, this qualitative research seeks to interrogate the social psychology of parasocial relationships between Instagram influencers and consumers in order to examine the positionality of influence in reconfiguring perceptions towards the marketplace and luxury goods. The thesis adopts an interpretivist approach to explore the influence of parasocial relationships with the Instafamous on Saudi female followers’ luxury brand perceptions and the effectiveness of Instafamous endorsements through conducting semi-structured interviews with six Instafamous, focus groups with 28 Saudi female followers, and netnography on ten Instafamous accounts. Through thematic analysis of the collected data, it is found that the perceived credibility of the Instafamous may play a role in the followers’ luxury brand perceptions. Moreover, modesty and privacy displayed by the Instafamous are perceived positively and could lead to more effective luxury brand endorsements. Through adopting the theory of parasocial relationships, it is argued that such relationships the followers build with the Instafamous are not proximate to real-life relationships and are indeed parasocial due to the inequivalence in the investments of time and emotions between the two involved parties (i.e., the follower and the Instafamous). Furthermore, the study expands on the definition provided by Audrezet et al. (2018) that transparent authenticity includes two significant values in Saudi society, namely, modesty and privacy, which influence the formation of parasocial relationships with the Instafamous and ultimately the followers’ perceptions of luxury brand endorsements. Additionally, an original categorisation of the motivations for toxic parasocial relationships with the Instafamous is presented, which includes factors such as moral judgments tied to disobedience regarding religious laws and beauty standards. Furthermore, a disconnect between the values of Islam and the Saudi culture, and those demonstrated by the Instafamous can adversely impact luxury brand associations among Saudi females. Finally, it is revealed that some Saudi female followers find it rewarding to follow Instafamous who practice sharenting (i.e., the practice of posting information about their personal lives on social media channels), fostering parasocial interactions that may lead to the development of positive parasocial relationships. It is believed that brand marketers can leverage these findings to positively influence consumer perceptions through parasocial relationships.3 0Item Restricted التنظيم القانوني لعمل أعضاء هيئة التدريس بالجامعات الخاصة : دراسة مقارنة بين التشريع الأردني والسعودي(جامعة الزرقاء, 2025) الرويلي، سعود; العبادي، يوسفتناول الباحث موضوع التنظيم القانوني لعمل أعضاء هيئة التدريس بالجامعات الخاصة: دراسة مقارنة بين التشريع الأردني والسعودي، حيث تناولت الدراسة التعريف القانوني لعضو الهيئة التدريسية في الجامعات الخاصة، وبيان الأحكام المتعلقة بالجامعات الخاصة في الفصل الأول من الدراسة، لينتقل بعد ذلك الباحث للحديث عن أهم الأحكام القانونية المنظمة لعقد العمل المبرم من قبل عضو الهيئة التدريسية والجامعات الخاصة في الفصل الثاني من الدراسة، وتكمن إشكالية الدراسة حول بيان مدى كفاية النصوص القانونية المنظمة للعلاقة القانونية، ما بين أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية في الجامعات الخاصة، والجامعات نفسها، واتبع الباحث المنهج الوصفي والمنهج التحليلي بالإضافة للمنهج المقارن للإجابة عن الإشكالية المطروحة في الدراسة. وتوصل الباحث إلى العديد من النتائج من أهمها، أن المشرع الأردني والمشرع السعودي اتخذا الموقف ذاته في الحكم على الطبيعة القانونية لعمل عضو هيئة التدريس، بحيث ينطبق عليه وصف العامل الوارد في كل من قانون العمل الأردني، ونظام العمل السعودي. وتوصل الباحث إلى جملة من التوصيات، من أهمها ضرورة التعديل على نصوص نظام العمل السعودي، من خلال إيجاد حد أعلى لعقد العمل محدد المدة، كما فعل المشرع الأردني لمنع الاستغلال غير المشروع للعامل.0 0Item Restricted التنظيم القانوني للتعويض الناجم عن خطأ العامل و صاحب العمل دراسة مقارنة بين التشريع الأردني و التشريع السعودي(جامعة الزرقاء, 2025) العنزي، مشهور; العبادي، يوسفتناول الباحث موضوع التنظيم القانوني للتعويض الناجم عن خطأ العامل وصاحب العمل، في كل من التشريعين الأردني والسعودي، وتم التطرق للحديث عن ماهية التعويض ، والأساس القانوني له في الفصل الأول من الدراسة، ومن ثم تم الحديث عن الأحكام القانونية الخاصة الناظمة للتعويض ، في إطار العلاقة العمالية في الفصل الثاني من الدراسة، وتكمن إشكالية الدراسة حول بيان مدى كفاية النصوص القانونية الناظمة لمسألة التعويض، وأحكامه في إطار عقد العمل الفردي والجماعي، في كل من الأردن والسعودية، واتبع الباحث المنهج الوصفي والمنهج التحليلي، بالإضافة للمنهج المقارن، للإجابة عن الإشكالية المطروحة في الدراسة. وخلص الباحث إلى العديد من النتائج من أهمها، أن المشرع الأردني في أحكام قانون العمل، والمشرع السعودي في أحكام نظام العمل، أوجدا العديد من النصوص القانونية الناظمة للحقوق والالتزامات المترتبة على عاتق كل من العامل وصاحب العمل، وفي حال إخلال أي منها بالتزامه، يحق للطرف الآخر المطالبة بالتعويض وفقاً لأحكام المسؤولية العقدية. وتوصل الباحث إلى جملة من التوصيات، من أهمها ضرورة التعديل على نصوص نظام العمل السعودي، من خلال التوسع في ماهية السر المهني الواجب الاحتفاظ فيه من قبل العامل، حيث إن المشرع السعودي قصر هذا السر بالذي يرتب ضرراً على صاحب العمل في حال إفشائه.1 0Item Restricted Mechanisms of Immune Escape in B-cell Lymphoma(Coventry University, 2025) Alenezi, Abdulrhman Abdullah; Young, NeilThe immune system plays a major role in defending the body from infections and eliminating abnormal or malignant cells. However, in specific malignancies like B-cell lymphomas, this surveillance mechanism is frequently undermined. A major approach facilitating cancer immune evasion is the manipulation of immunological checkpoints regulatory pathways that restrict immune activation and maintain self-tolerance. Cancer cells exploit these checkpoints to inhibit immune recognition and clearance. A comprehensive understanding of these pathways is crucial for the advancement of next-generation targeted immunotherapies. This research project explored two key immunoregulatory molecules: LILRB1 (Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-like Receptor B1) and TNIP1 (TNFAIP3-interacting protein 1). LILRB1 is an inhibitory receptor expressed on the surface of immune cells, including CD14⁺ monocytes and CD8⁺ cytotoxic T cells. Upon binding to ligands such as MHC-I or HLA-G, it transmits immunosuppressive signals that diminish activation through SHP phosphatase recruitment. TNIP1, a cytoplasmic molecule downstream of NF-κB, functions as a transcriptionally inducible suppressor that inhibits pro-inflammatory signaling by collaborating with A20 (Gasparini et al., 2014). Both molecules are increasingly acknowledged as factors in tumor-induced immune tolerance. This study examined the alterations in TNIP1 expression in fresh peripheral blood samples from healthy donors following LILRB1 activation over a 48-hour period. Flow cytometry combined with quantitative analysis (Kaluza software) has been used to evaluate intracellular TNIP1 in both innate (monocytes) and adaptive (T cells) immune subsets. The findings revealed a time-dependent elevation in TNIP1 expression, particularly notable in CD14⁺ monocytes, suggesting a lineage-specific immunosuppressive mechanism triggered by LILRB1 interaction. These findings offer new understanding of checkpoint-mediated immune evasion pathways relevant to B-cell lymphoma. They corroborate current data demonstrating that TNIP1 overexpression contributes to tumor-associated immunological dysfunction and propose that LILRB1–TNIP1 signaling offers a promising therapeutic target for intervention (Ramirez et al., 2012).9 0Item Restricted Exploring the attitudes, beliefs, barriers, and facilitators to the uptake of and adherence to exercise and physical activity among Saudi women diagnosed with coronary artery disease: a qualitative study(University of Leeds, 2025) AlSabei, Zainab; Horne, Maria; McHugh, GretlIntroduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death among women in Saudi Arabia. However, women often underestimate their CAD risk. Physical activity (PA) is an integral part of secondary prevention of CAD. PA is known to lower mortality rates and improve the quality-of-life among individuals with established CAD. PA levels vary between different ethnicities and genders. In Saudi Arabia, the percentage of women meeting the PA recommendation is as low as 10%. Despite the low prevalence rate among Saudi women in general, little is known about their PA habits post-diagnosis of CAD. Aim: To explore attitudes, beliefs, barriers, and facilitators to the uptake of and adherence to exercise and PA among Saudi women diagnosed with CAD. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was undertaken. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted between June 2024 and November 2024, sixteen with Saudi women diagnosed with CAD and sixteen with healthcare professionals. The theoretical domain framework informed the data collection and data analysis, which was undertaken using framework analysis. The findings were fed into the COM-B model and the behavioural change wheel (BCW) to identify a potential intervention to promote PA uptake and adherence among Saudi women post-CAD diagnosis. Findings: Nine themes and subthemes were identified from both datasets. Religious and sociocultural influences were highlighted as a main theme as women reported familial and social obligations take priority over being physically active, and discussed the effect of the lack of exercise during their upbringings on their ability to uptake and adhere to exercise and PA. Other themes discussed knowledge gap, social and professional support and the perceived barriers and facilitators to being physically active. Conclusion: This study has provided an insight into the experience of Saudi women diagnosed with CAD with exercise and PA. Identified facilitators and barriers were used to develop a potential PA-promoting intervention to improve overall health and well-being, which was visually illustrated in a logic model featuring the intervention’s key ingredients, based on the findings of the application of the COM-B model and BCW.4 0Item Restricted أثر استخدام الخدمات الرقمية لتحسين إمكانية وصول المرضى للخدمات الصحية (دراسة مقارنة بين مستشفيات مدينة مكة المكرمة)(جامعة حلوان بمصر, 2025) ميمني, شوقي يحيى; محمود, فرات حسينهدفت هذه الدراسة إلى استكشاف تأثير استخدامالخدمات الرقمية في تحسين إمكانية وصول المرضى إلى الرعايةالصحية، من خلال تطبيقها على عينة من المرضى فيمستشفيات مدينة مكة المكرمة. وقد اعتمدت هذه الدراسة علىالمنهج الوصفي التحليلي، ومن خلال هذا المنهج، تم تناولموضوع التحول الرقمي في مستشفيات مدينة مكة المكرمةبوصف شامل لأدواته ومقوماته. كما تم استخدام البرنامجالإحصائي SPSS لتحليل البيانات التي تم جمعها باستخدام استمارة الاستبيان من أفراد العينة البحثية المشاركين في هذهالدراسة. وقد بلغ إجمالي أعداد المشاركين في هذه الدراسة (400) فرد من متلقي الخدمات الرقمية بمستشفيات مدينة مكة المكرمة. توصلت الدراسة لعدد من النتائج، لعل من أبرزها وجود تأثير إيجابي قوي لشبكات الاتصال على تحسين الوصوللخدمات الرعاية الصحية، وأيضا وجود علاقة دالة إحصائيا بين الحوكمة الإلكترونية وتحسين إمكانية وصول المرضى، وهذا يعكس أهمية السياسات والإجراءات الرقمية الموحدة في دعم تقديم الرعاية الصحية بشكل منظم وفعّال. وقد اقترحت الدراسة بعض التوصيات، منها؛ تعزيز البنية التحتية الرقمية، خاصة شبكات الاتصال الداخلية، لتكون قادرة على دعم التطبيقات الطبية الحديثة. فضلا عن تبني نظام إدارة معلومات صحي موحد يربط بين جميع أقسام المستشفى ويُسهم في تحسين تبادل المعلومات الطبية بين مقدمي الرعاية والمرضى. وأيضا، تفعيل الحوكمة الإلكترونية من خلال وضع لوائح تنظيمية تُسهم في إدارة الخدمات الرقمية بفعالية.0 0