Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/10
Browse
2 results
Search Results
Item Restricted BEYOND BORDERS: LITERARY ENCOUNTERS WITH THE ARABIAN PENINSULA ACROSS THE CENTURIES(Purdue University, 2024-12) Alhallafi, Ahlam; Bartlett, Robyn A.; Powell, Manushag N.; Lukasik, Christopher J.; Schneider, Paul R.The Arabian Peninsula’s diverse environmental landscapes have profoundly influenced its internal cultures and shaped its interactions with the wider world. However, there remains a persistent tendency to view this region as isolated and disconnected from global dynamics. This anthology seeks to challenge that misconception by situating Arabia firmly within a global context, emphasizing its environmental diversity and interconnectedness. It serves as a comprehensive educational resource for undergraduate students and engages a broader audience interested in the peninsula’s cultural and environmental heritage. The collection explores three key themes: the cultural and economic history of coffee, the interconnectedness of the Red Sea’s coral reefs with the peninsula, and the richness of the Arabian Desert. Beginning in the bustling markets, Jean de La Roque and Sir John Malcolm’s accounts of the early coffee trade highlight its profound economic and cultural impacts. Insights from T.E. Lawrence and Gertrude Bell, along with Ali Al-Naimi’s narrative, trace coffee’s evolution from a regional commodity into a modern global economic force, illustrating how this simple bean became integral to the peninsula’s identity and its connections with the wider world. Bridging the gap between land and sea, the anthology transitions to the Red Sea’s coral reefs as a symbol of environmental diversity. Through the narratives of voyagers like Emily Ruete, pilgrims such as Shakib Arslan and Lady Evelyn Cobbold, and adventurers like Henri de Monfreid, this section portrays how these marine ecosystems have facilitated cultural exchanges, navigation, and personal transformation. The coral reefs are depicted not merely as biological wonders thriving under extreme conditions, but as integral elements that connect the peninsula with surrounding seas, emphasizing Arabia’s connectedness with the ancient trade routes and modern shipping networks. The final section re-examines the Arabian Desert, challenging its perception as a barren wasteland. Through the observations of Carsten Niebuhr, the travels of Freya Stark, the narratives of Abdelrahman Munif, and the memoirs of Huda Al-Ghoson, the anthology unveils the desert’s cultural and historical richness. It illustrates the adaptability of life in the desert and its significant role in economic and cultural exchanges, highlighting the desert as a space of vitality and heritage rather than desolation. By integrating the stories of coffee, coral reefs, and the desert, this anthology offers a comprehensive view of how these elements have shaped—and been shaped by—the dynamic environment of the Arabian Peninsula. It bridges the gap between land and sea to reflect the region’s environmental diversity and global interconnectedness, providing a holistic perspective that honors the full spectrum of the Arabian Peninsula’s identity. This collection underscores the importance of recognizing Arabia’s integral role in global environmental and cultural systems, fostering a more nuanced and connected understanding of the region.24 0Item Restricted UNDERSTANDING GROUNDWATER DEPLETION AND WATER SECURITY CHALLENGES IN THE TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFER SYSTEMS OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA REGION(UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND, 2024) Alotaibi, Mohammed Obaid Altayyar; Akanda, Ali S; Thiem, Leon; Boving, Thomas; Inomura, KeisukeThe Arabian Peninsula countries are characterized by arid and semi-arid climates, relying heavily on groundwater as their primary source of freshwater. However, human activities are rapidly depleting and contaminating this resource, making its sustainable management increasingly crucial. Groundwater in these countries is stored in transboundary aquifer systems, such as the Wajid, Umm Er Radhuma, and Wasia, which are shared with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Oman. These shared resources require Groundwater-sharing agreements for effective management. Yet, the lack of such agreements has resulted in poor data sharing, uncoordinated and unsustainable development, rapid water depletion, declining water quality, and land subsidence. In addition, this region is experiencing rapid development in infrastructure and industries, a trend that is significantly increasing groundwater extraction. Previous research has mostly focused on groundwater quality in the Arabian Peninsula and has yet to give importance to groundwater quantity and treatment for the Arabian Peninsula countries. Depletion has increased, and rainfall has decreased throughout the last 20 years. However, monitoring these resources and encouraging groundwater-sharing agreements are significant in sustaining and developing the water resources. Therefore, in this dissertation the three Arabian Peninsula aquifers have been compared with two North African aquifers, the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) and Northwestern Sahara Aquifer System (NWSAS), which have groundwater treatment to identify suitable scientific methods for continuous groundwater monitoring, which can provide a comprehensive overview in the present and future to deal with this issue. As a result, the primary objective of this dissertation was to develop suitable methods for an integrated monitoring system of groundwater quality and quantity. This involved utilizing geophysical and field data of the aquifers, satellite remote sensing, and Geographic Information System (GIS). To achieve this, I combined the dams and agriculture data in Saudi Arabia, which occupies the largest area of the three Arabian Aquifers, and validated the results with remote sensing and satellite data. In addition, we compared the results with the aquifers that have treaties to create a suitable framework for continuous groundwater monitoring and preserve water resources in this region.26 0