- Dr. James M. Dorsey
- April 12, 2018
- Paper No. 794
Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman has dazzled international media and public opinion by lifting some restrictions on womenโs rights and holding out hope for the abolishment of others, vowing to return the kingdom to a vague form of moderate Islam that many believe is defined by the social reforms he has already implemented, and curbing the powers of the countryโs ultra-conservative leadership. But his top-down approach to social change, which brushes aside Saudi history, rests on shaky ground.