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Burnell & Randall: Politics in the Developing World 2e

Chapter 21b

  1. In what main political respects is Saudi Arabia a very untypical developing country?

  2. How far and in what ways are the main features of political life in Saudi Arabia contingent on its oil revenues? What political impact would a sustained fall in those revenues have, and would you expect further substantial economic progress to threaten the broad contours of its current system of government?

  3. How strong is the evidence for arguing that Saudi Arabia is engaging in a process of political reform?

  4. What are the main security issues for a country like Saudi Arabia and its government?

  5. How strong is the Saudi state?

  6. 'Civil society in Saudi Arabia will never be an effective force for political change unless and until women are admitted as full and equal members'. Discuss.

  7. Should Saudi Arabia use its oil wealth to exercise political influence over conflicts in the Middle East?

  8. Assess the contributions of Saudi Arabia to political tensions in the Middle East.

  9. Where do the main pressures for political reform in Saudi Arabia come from?

  10. Compare and contrast the role of the state in sponsoring or constraining civil society in India and Saudi Arabia.

  11. How do you explain developments in civil society in Saudi Arabia from the 1990s?

  12. Drawing on the examples of India and Saudi Arabia describe some of the main ways in which civil society organizations have sought to make government more accountable, and assess their effectiveness.