Der neue saudische Nationalismus

Unter dem neuen Kronprinzen Mohammad bin Salman versucht Saudi Arabien sich neu zu erfinden. Viel ist von Reformen die Rede, nur sind es Reformen, die von oben verordnet werden und Partizipation nicht vorsehen. Dazu gehört auch ein neues Selbstbild von Saudi Arabien als Nation. Madawi al-Rasheed berschreibt auf welchem Fundament dieses Nationalbewusstsein stehen soll und welche Widersprüche es aufweist:

Being "Saudi" rather than "Arab" or "Muslim" is now key to MBS's plans for his own consolidation of power, the future outlook of Saudi Arabia and the success of his economic transformation - the three goals that underpin most of his policies.

The feminine and masculine sit uncomfortably together in the new Saudi nationalism. While there is a celebration of hyper-masculinity in the context of the Saudi military intervention in Yemen and the conflict with Iran, the young nation must be feminised to include women.

MBS is a latecomer to the game of nationalism. His narrative about who Saudis are or should be, their destiny, responsibility and national characteristics suffer from the common contradictions of nationalism that has flourished elsewhere throughout the world.

The feminine and masculine sit uncomfortably together in the new Saudi nationalism. While there is a celebration of hyper-masculinity in the context of the Saudi military intervention in Yemen and the conflict with Iran, the young nation must be feminised to include women as avant garde economic contributors to the prosperity of the nation.

While women are drawn to become spectators of football matches in an all-masculine environment, they are also skilled workers whose expertise is needed to fulfil the promise of a post-oil economy. But the inflated national masculinity excludes the children of Saudi women married to foreigners. They remain non-Saudis.

Women can drive but they should seek the permission of their male guardians to travel abroad. They must also seek permission from their guardians to marry. When the husband is a foreigner, the Ministry of Interior should issue a licence. (...)

The novelty of MBS's social engineering project of nation-building is a contradictory illusion, like all past and present nationalist projects. A mild form of patriotism is appreciated to mobilise citizens into action, but xenophobia, tribalism and superficial cosmopolitanism are hardly consistent with a neo-liberal project to transform Saudi Arabia into a productive economy, a tolerant country and open society.

While all nationalism is a construction, the current Saudi variant does not seem to stand on solid ground. No doubt MBS has appealed to the youth by opening the social and cultural fields but the latter need more than football matches or rock concerts to turn them into entrepreneurial Saudi nationals.

MBS cannot only sell the youth words, symbols and promises. He needs to make nationalism yield concrete benefits such as jobs, low inflation, and security. He cannot be at the head of all decisions and expect the nation to have a stake in the success of his projects.