Saudi Arabia’s clerical establishment has had a massive influence on the country since its founding. But since the rise of Mohammad Bin Salman, crown prince of Saudi Arabia and self-described “reformer,” it’s been a different story. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Raihan Ismail, professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University, about the role clerics are playing as Saudi Arabia softens its image through tourism and entertainment.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.