Dynamics and Geo-Politics Involved in the Formulation of Vision 2030 as KSA National Strategy Post 9/11

Abstract

This study investigates the political and academic discourse surrounding the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia post 9/11, with the assumption that this discourse was instrumental in the creation of Vision 2030. The specific objective of this study is to prove or disprove this assumption by analyzing official documents, contemporary reporting and academic literature that illuminate the internal and external pressures placed on the Kingdom post 9/11. This study employs qualitative methodologies, relying on Critical Discourse Analysis and Policy Analysis to consider such influential dynamics as geopolitics, the political economy of oil, globalization, and state power. The study concludes by reviewing current Vision 2030 benchmarks against the aforementioned internal and external pressures, thereby drawing a direct line between previous commentaries on the kingdom and the current impact seen by the implementation of Vision 2030.