Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted “A light was seen to dart from eyes | That mortal never own’d”: Gender and Power Dynamics in Gothic Nuns(University of Sheffield, 2024-08-28) Alharbi, Afnan; Wright, AngelaThis dissertation investigates the representation of ghostly nuns in Gothic literature, examining how these spectral figures reflect and critique the dynamics of gender and power in a patriarchal society. Through an analysis of both fictional and poetic works, this study demonstrates that the figure of the ghostly nun is a powerful symbol of repressed desires, social transgression, and supernatural agency. In Chapter One, the discussion focuses on Matthew Lewis’s The Monk (1796) and Charlotte Brontë’s Villette (1853), highlighting how the spectral nun embodies themes of corruption, forbidden desire, and psychological repression. In The Monk, the bleeding nun represents the consequences of repressed female sexuality and societal transgression, destabilising traditional gender and moral hierarchies. Meanwhile, in Villette, the spectral nun blurs the boundaries between reality and imagination, symbolising the psychological tensions tied to female autonomy and societal constraints. Chapter Two shifts to an exploration of Gothic poetry, focusing specifically on Anne Bannerman’s Tales of Superstition and Chivalry (1802). The analysis covers the poems: ‘The Perjured Nun’, ‘The Dark Ladie’, and ‘The Prophetess of the Oracle of Seam’, revealing how these spectral figures serve as metaphors for patriarchal oppression and the enduring power of suppressed forces. ‘The Perjured Nun’ delves into themes of guilt, retribution, and betrayal, using the ghostly nun to reflect on the consequences of breaking moral and societal codes. While ‘The Dark Ladie’ and ‘The Prophetess of the Oracle of Seam’ do not depict literal nuns, their spectral female figures challenge traditional gender roles, highlighting the tension between submission and rebellion within a patriarchal system. The central argument of this dissertation posits that the ghostly nun is a site of both vulnerability and power, embodying the unresolved anxieties surrounding female autonomy and transgression. By examining a range of Gothic texts—from The Monk and Villette to Bannerman’s poetry—this study demonstrates that the ghostly nun trope serves as a critical space for the Gothic genre’s interrogation of societal norms. Ultimately, the spectral nun emerges as a potent symbol of resistance against patriarchal structures, haunting the boundaries of life, death, and gendered expectations.11 0Item Restricted How could HR practices be implemented in recruitment and selection to enable best practices towards diversity in organisations in Saudi Arabia?(Swansea University, 2024) Albalawi, Mohammed; Pritchard, KatrinaThis study explores the role of human resource (HR) practices in recruitment and selection to maximise diversity, including gender diversity, in organisations with a specific focus on Saudi Arabia. The research highlights the importance of diversity in enhancing innovation, creativity and organisational performance. It examines the formats in which cultural, legal, and organisational challenges impact the implementation of diversity strategies in the recruitment process. Drawing on theories such as Institutional Theory, Human Resource Management (HRM) Theory, and Diversity Management Theory, the research identifies the benefits of diverse workforces and the barriers posed by deeprooted cultural norms (e.g., gender roles and tribal affiliations). Through following systematic literature review methodology, this research included 60 studies. Key findings suggest that diversity promotes creativity and better decision-making; nevertheless, it indicated that achieving it in Saudi organisations requires overcoming societal bias and adapting global diversity practices to the local context. Moreover, the study explores the tension between merit-based and diversity-based recruitment, which has emphasised the need for HR managers to find a balance between fairness and inclusivity. Recommendations include adopting blind recruitment practices, creating inclusive job descriptions, providing diversity training for HR professionals and implementing targeted recruitment strategies. The research contributes to the existing literature by addressing the limited studies on diversity in recruitment and selection in Saudi Arabia, mainly in non-Western contexts. It identifies gaps in current practices and suggests areas for future research, like the exploration of other dimensions of diversity, as is the case in disability and age and the role of leadership in promoting inclusive HR practices. Thus, this study provides thoughts into the ways through which organisations could embrace recruitment and selection processes with diversity goals to create inclusive workplaces in Saudi Arabia.13 0Item Restricted “There Is No Honor in Taking a Life”: Violence against Women in the Name of Honor(Columbia University, 2024) Alqahtani, Alshomookh; Rajan, V.G. JulieIn the quiet corners of Jordanian homes, a silent epidemic unfolds as the specter of honor crimes casts a dark shadow over the lives of women and girls. Where familial ties are assumed to provide a safe haven, the insidious practice of honor killings has carved a devastating path of life for women. Honor killings disproportionately affect women and transform the sanctity of the "family home" into an unexpected theater of peril. At the heart of this tragic narrative are Articles 98, 99, and 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code that apply to all Jordanian women. I argue that while these legal provisions ostensibly may have been designed to provide justice for females targeted by honor killings by criminalizing this specific type of murder, these Articles paradoxically contribute to the perpetuation of femicide within the nation by, for example, providing legal justifications for reduced penalties or no penalty at all for this specific type of murder of females. The effect is a legal system that permits a culture of impunity for those who commit these heinous acts. Despite apparent advances in Jordan’s investment in women's rights, the legal provisions in Articles 98, 99, and 340 of its Penal Code paradoxically undermine the criminality of honor killings against women and girls, thereby severely undermining the human security of Jordanian women. I examine specific judicial rulings on honor killings from a certain period as will be explained in Chapter 4 to support my exposure of the disconcerting gap between Jordan's aspirations for gender equality and the harsh realities faced by women within its legal framework and how this gap contributes to rates of femicide within the nation.32 0Item Restricted The differences in language use and attitude towards language between men and women in Saudi Arabia(University of Pretoria, 2022-06-06) Alzahrani, Fatimah; Tirvassen, Rada; Kritzinger, KoosThe topic of gender differences has attracted considerable critical attention from linguists because of the importance that sociolinguistics offers to the complex relationship between language and gender. Gender separation in the social setting could be a significant factor in the disparities in language use between men and women. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the relationship between language and gender in Saudi Arabia, a gender-segregated society. This involves determining if the male and female students differ in their language use and attitudes towards Saudi Arabic varieties.44 0Item Restricted An Investigation into the Impact of Social Stereotypes and the Changing Gender Roles in British Society on the Representation of Gender in Selected Novels of Agatha Christie(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-11-28) Alshehri, Norah; Bloomfield, JeremyThis research examines the impact of social stereotypes and changing gender roles on gender representations in Agatha Christie's three selected novels set in early to mid- twentieth century British society. Through a qualitative analysis of the novels, the study investigates whether Christie's portrayal of characters reinforces or challenges prevailing social stereotypes and gender roles. The analysis focuses on Miss Marple and Poirot as key characters, exploring how they embody and challenge traditional gender expectations. Additionally, the research considers the influence of World Wars I and II, as well as the development of women's empowerment, on the representation of gender norms in the selected novels. The findings reveal that Miss Marple and Poirot exhibit distinct portrayals of gender roles, with Miss Marple challenging traditional expectations while still utilizing certain feminine means, and Poirot challenging traditional masculinity while reinforcing masculine characteristics. Moreover, the analysis highlights an irreversible shift in women's status in society, as shown through the agency and strengths of the female characters. Agatha Christie's writings capture these societal changes, providing an unbiased view of the evolving dynamics. The research concludes that a deeper understanding of the era's shifting gender roles is possible through Christie's nuanced representation of cultural developments. The study suggests avenues for future research, including expanding the analysis to more novels and comparing Agatha Christie's portrayal of gender with other writers. This research contributes to the broader understanding of gender representations in literature and the societal changes during the early to mid- twentieth century.9 0Item Restricted Impact of Universal Credit on Poverty Reduction Across Gender and Single Parents in the United Kingdom(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-11-14) Alrasheedi, Abdullah; Roumpakis, AntoniosThis study sought to investigate the multifaceted impact of the Universal Credit program in the United Kingdom, focusing on poverty rates, tax benefits, and the implications for vulnerable populations. Through quantitative analysis, the research offers insights into the program's effectiveness and underscores the nuances of its outcomes. The analysis of poverty rates reveals a significant reduction following the introduction of Universal Credit. A negative coefficient (-0.0125) signifies a consistent decrease in poverty rates, supported by a low p-value (0.0169) that indicates statistical significance. These findings affirm the program's positive influence on reducing poverty, providing a vital social safety net. In the realm of tax benefits, disparities emerge among family structures. Single parents with child dependents experience significantly higher tax benefits compared to other family types, supported by a low p-value in a one-tailed test. While this difference underscores the importance of tailored support, the study reveals a complex narrative. Despite tax disparities, Universal Credit positively affects poverty reduction among single parents with children, highlighting the program's multifaceted impact. Further analysis considers gender-based differences in tax benefits, revealing no statistically significant variation between male and female individuals. The p-value (0.37) suggests comparability in tax benefits. These findings contribute to understanding gender dynamics within the context of social policies. In conclusion, this study illuminates the pivotal role of Universal Credit in alleviating poverty rates in the United Kingdom. It emphasizes the necessity of targeted support for different family structures and the need to consider nuanced outcomes, particularly in tax benefits. While acknowledging disparities, the research underscores the program's overarching positive influence on poverty reduction among vulnerable populations. This multifaceted perspective informs evidence-based policy decisions and underscores the importance of continued research in assessing the evolving landscape of social welfare programs.36 0Item Restricted Odd Women Out: Transgression, Performance, and Progress in Victorian Fiction.(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-08-18) Abdulhaq, Hala Mahmoud; Reeder, Jessie“Odd Women Out: Transgression, Performance, and Progress in Victorian Fiction” explores the emergence of transgressive female characters who challenge traditional gender roles. This dissertation examines the limitations of the domestic model in terms of marriage and Victorian cultural values based on arbitrary social structures. Therefore, rebellious female characters reflect dissatisfaction with their status as they refuse to adopt domestic ideologies that stifle their independence. Though their transgressions of social and political boundaries threaten the status quo, they open the door to changes that allow women’s development. Accordingly, these female characters seek alternative routes by breaking social, moral, and legal boundaries. In this dissertation, I demonstrate in what manner women’s narratives provide an alternative model of womanhood and independence, thereby subverting the ideal image of middle-class women. Additionally, I illustrate by what means transgressing women shift narrative structures that fragment the traditional domestic plot and offer new possibilities for women’s progress. This dissertation focuses on the rise of the individual character in the context of female experiences, including Lucy in Charlotte Brontë’s Villette, Maggie in George Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss, Lady Audley in Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s Lady Audley’s Secret, and Lyndall in Olive Schreiner’s The Story of an African Farm. This project attempts to provide new insights into nineteenth-century critical studies and Victorian gender scholarship in relation to narrative forms.60 0Item Restricted Labour Market Segmentation and Change: The Case of Female Workers in the Higher Education Sector in Saudi Arabia(2023-08) Alqurashi, Bayan N.; Leka, Stavroula; O'Brien, Elaine; Beck, MatthiasResearch indicates that female workers in the Middle East experience barriers in their labour market access and mobility. However, little is known about the impact of labour market modernization on the job and labour market experiences of this group of workers. This qualitative study was designed to explore, with a sample of female academics, the impact of labour market change on their jobs and working conditions. The rationale for this research emanates from the researcher’s desire to understand labour market change and the ways this change is impacting the job and labour market experiences of female workers. It was the researcher’s assumption that gaining a deep and holistic understanding of female workers’ job and labour market experiences would support the development of effective policy interventions that are attuned to the reality of female works in a changing segmented labour market and mitigate unintended negative consequences on their wellbeing. The purposefully selected sample was composed of 30 Saudi-national female academics who were drawn from different higher education institutions across Saudi Arabia. The primary data collection method was in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data was systematically coded and thematically analysed. Analysis and interpretation of findings were based on the literature review and answering the research three questions: (1) female workers’ mobility patterns and the labour market structure for female workers, (2) the ways institutional factors shape and impact academic jobs, and (3) psychosocial working conditions in academic jobs, their impact by labour market change, and implications for faculty wellbeing. This research found that female workers face a structural obstacle of limited job opportunity upon their entry to the labour market which forces them to compromise on the quality of their early career jobs. However, institutional change in the labour market is expanding their labour market opportunity. Second, public higher education institutions constitute internal labour markets where access to employment is controlled whereas private higher education institutions operate in an external competitive labour market where employment is subject to market factors. Third, the relationship the higher education institution has with state funding and the employment system followed in the employment of female academics differentiate compensation, employment stability, and employee training for this group of workers across the higher education labour market. Fourth, academic jobs are meaningful, include social support, and provide opportunity for development while at the same time lack job clarity in some areas, include restriction in job autonomy as well as time pressure. Nevertheless, academic jobs are considered good jobs by labour market standards and resourceful by organizational psychology standards and these characteristics combined render them supportive of faculty wellbeing. Recommendations are offered for future research, policy, and practice. Given the institutional complexity of the research context and acknowledging that context varies across cultures and economies, the research findings should be transferred to situations sharing key characteristics and the recommendations considered for their appropriateness for the situation of interest.22 0Item Restricted Women’s Online Representation: Contention and Exclusion(2022-12-01) Ghaliyah Abdulaziz Alfhaid; Hwaley, SaraThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed new reforms in which there has been a considerable governmental effort to implement new policies that seek to empower women. These policies have transformed many aspects of women's lives. This has been accompanied by a new representation of Saudi women on social media that has produced what I refer to as a polarised representation of women as either liberal or conservative. The present study adopts an ethnographic research method to investigate women's representations on social media and aims to explore how are women represented in Saudi Arabia on the Twitter hashtag #TheFoundationDay? How does this representation subordinate the struggles and needs of other women? What can the stories of the unrepresented women tell us about the diversity of the Saudi women? It has been shown that the representations on the Twitter hashtag #TheFoundationDay perpetuate the polarised representations of women as either liberal or conservative. The present study argues that these polarised representations exclude other women's struggles and needs. It also aims to surface other women's voices in order to address their struggles and seeks a more inclusive perspective on researching women within the Saudi context.24 0Item Restricted Exploring Institutional and Managerial Aspects in Professional Football(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-03-30) Batarfi, Meshael; Reade, JamesThis thesis is based on three papers, included as Chapters One, Three and Four. It investigates a specific sports economics topic to gain a better understanding of the institutional factors that affect football performance and gender variation in women’s football, especially in relation to risky decision-making and social pressure. First, the relevant institutions and national foot ball performance were examined in men’s football, using data from 1872 onwards. Every competing football squad utilises similar production technology: the players, a soccer pitch, goalposts, and a ball. However, at the top level, there is wide variation between national football teams worldwide. Broad trends in this diversity are outlined in this thesis, in an attempt to explain why some nations do exceptionally well while others perform poorly. Macro economic, demographic, and other hypotheses are analysed to try and explain the observed historical volatility in football performance. High GDP was found to contribute to the frequency of wins, but population often works against this. Additionally, a longer established domestic football organisation tends to be beneficial. In Chapter Two the focus shifts to women’s football, giving some historical background to the game. This is followed in Chapter Three by an analysis of male and female managers in women’s football, which is a highly competitive and data-rich environment. In men’s football, there is minimal gender variation in high-profile roles, unlike women’s football, where men often occupy top management positions. Significant variation was found between the risk preferences of male and female coaches, with male coaches being less risk-averse. More experienced coaches can also contribute to a team’s success. In Chapter Four, the relationship between social pressure and gender is sub sequently explored. The question of decision-making under social pressure has been extensively researched in recent years, particularly in the arena of com petitive sport. It is known that crowds can influence decision-making as part of the commonly observed home advantage. Studies have exploited variation in crowd size and intensity, as well as the complete absence of crowds during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the gender aspect of social pressure appears to be relatively neglected. The gender of particular agents in the production process could be expected to influence decisions and therefore, outcomes. Wo men’s football is studied because it provides a unique setting for observing how gender could influence outcomes, given that only around 50% of head coaches are female, even though all the players and 80% of the officials are female in women’s football. Novel data were therefore collected and analysed from across 67 nations for a 41-year period. It was considered whether the variation in gender composition of important participants in women’s football matches had an impact on the effect of social pressure on specific outcomes, depending on attendance and the gender of head coaches and officials. The outcomes consisted of goals scored and official yellow or red card decisions. Evidence was found to support that different gender compositions can have a varying impact on final outcomes. In addition, under social pressure, male referees may respond differently from female referees.17 0