From Oil to Optics: Media, Modernity, and the Domestic Reform of Saudi Arabia
I, Ghanim Al-Kubaisi, a senior in the Class of 2025 at Georgetown University in Qatar, chose to explore the following topic for my Certificate in Media and Politics; “From Oil to Optics: Media, Modernity, and the Domestic Reform of Saudi Arabia”. Mentored by Professor Firat Oruc, this project examines Saudi Arabia’s media makeover under Vision 2030, asking whether the country’s rapid modernization is a genuine reform effort or a carefully staged performance. By exploring how media is used as a tool of statecraft, both to promote progress and suppress dissent, the study unpacks the political calculations behind the Kingdom’s global rebranding. Through case studies like the women’s driving reform, social media manipulation, and “sportswashing,” the project reveals how Saudi Arabia crafts dual narratives tailored for domestic and international audiences, blurring the line between authenticity and optics.
https://sites.google.com/georgetown.edu/ghanimalkubaisi-e-portfolio/home
