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The Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea
The Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa AlsaneaStudent’s name
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The Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa AlsaneaThe premise of the novel is, in a nutshell, four young women from Saudi Arabia living their lives while trying to navigate the world outside of their religion and analyzing the things they’ve been taught growing up compared to how the rest of the world lives. From my understanding, the author, Rajaa Alsanea’s intent in writing this novel may have been many things. The first is just what kind of relationship between men and women exists in a country like Saudi Arabia. She also may have written it because she wanted to explore the kind of change in culture that has taken place due to the introduction of technology that has allowed for ease of communication between people of different sexes.
Another reason she might have written The Girls of Riyadh might have been to further show the complexity and unrealistic circumstances Muslim girls are placed in when it comes to marriage and the general character they are supposed to abide by in their traditions and culture. The value it has is in just how precise and vivid it gives us on the difference between reality and unrealistic expectations within the context of the culture through the frame of four girls with vastly different lives but still trying their best to find love within the confines of their culture. I think this book gained popularity because it simply showed a common issue that’s never discussed in most Islamic cultures that include women’s rights and say when it comes to relationships and marriage. Also, the book’s ability to tackle such a controversial issue and thus try and find a way to show a culture through a woman’s viewpoint was quite an unexpected change in circumstances from most literature’s perspective. In this review, I will be touching on many aspects of the text.
The first topic I will be commenting on is tradition. First, the traditions of modesty and veiling and the separation of sexes. As for the tradition of dating and marriage according to both Islamic norms and modern norms of current day society. The second topic I will be analyzing is societal and generational norms and their effect on current Islamic society as a whole.
Additionally, I will briefly touch on religious observance especially as is dedicated in the book and also is as observed by current day society. Furthermore, I would like to discuss the general education and professions of women especially in the Islamic world, and their roles and viewpoint when it comes to marriage and relationships. The fifth thing I will be talking about is his family relationships and the strength of patriarchal family norms. To wrap things up, I will give my thoughts on the novel, its value as a piece of literature, whether it illuminates the issues of women and gender in the middle east, hence how.
Topic 1
Unknown to some but greatly recognized by many nations, Islam is a culture of not only peace but also harsh and sometimes unforgiving rules on how an individual is to conduct themselves. Traditions dictate not only the behavior but also the character an individual is supposed and expected to have (Al-Ghadeer, 296). No rule is much harsher and greatly recognized than the rule in which a man and woman should conduct themselves especially to unmarried couples and individuals soon to be married. Tradition above all else had a firm grip and say when it comes to any matter of conduct and marriage.
Dating in particular in the Islamic community is frowned upon since tradition ultimately dictates the kind of woman to be present to her husband as arranged by her family members. Standards of Islamic tradition also dictate why the husband is meant to be the first person to unveil his wife and equality important as to why the woman should not have been touched by any other man before her marriage even though modern norms in all actuality seem to have different standards altogether as we can see from Sadeem’ s life experience and the hardships she has to endure in especially when she betrothed unexpectedly leaves her (Al-Ghadeer, 296).
Topic 2
Society as a whole has further developed beyond the norms and cultural context by which most Islamic countries abide. Although each generation is faced with its own set of challenges it seems that common day young people face a particularly troublesome issue that in no way can be easily solved. Technology has created an ease of understanding and exposure that has greatly affected a large sum of people in all sorts of the way, especially in the Islamic world. Taking an example like Michelle in her ever defiant pursuit to be with the one she loves we greatly see just how technology is a good instrument and tool to help a person in a facet of different ways (Al-Ghadeer, 296). Her rebellion in the eyes of a tradition of custom is an unfamiliar thing in the Islamic culture as a whole but it does greatly just how modernization and improvement challenge newer generations to speak up and better fight for what they want in life.
Topic 3
Religion dictates a wide range of issues in the Islamic community from banking practices to mannerisms and behaviors in different areas of a person’s life. But only in the life of a woman’s cultural and gender-defined roles can we see that these rules are greatly laid out to assert control and maybe in more ways than one dictate every facet of her life. Gamrah’s life is a complete portrayal of this since we see the constant struggle and hardships and struggles she undergoes in her marriage (Al-Ghadeer, 296). Despite her best efforts to at least try and ensure her marriage succeeds such as her commitment to going with her husband halfway across the world to Chicago, her gamble ultimately shows us the kind of consequences a Saudi woman might face when her marriage does not go according to plan.
Topic 4
Women in modern-day society have become more aware and uniquely well-educated to have a voice in the various customs and practices of society. Unfortunately, as we can see on the various struggles and challenges the four women go through this current change of a well-educated woman is in no way a means or a message on the sudden change of culture or people’s behavior and view of women (Al-Ghadeer, 296). Lamees is a good portrayal of the struggles that a Saudi woman might face in her life especially if they opt to put their career first before anything else. Eventually, time catches up with her as she ultimately wishes to settle down, marry and have a good life but unfortunately due to current modernization and new generational norms this proves more difficult than she initially thought.
Topic 5
Patriarchy is an all too familiar system setting within Islam. In countries such as Saudi Arabia as we can see in the book, men are usually the final determinants in what goes on in a woman’s life be it her interaction with her fellow peers or whatever aspect of her personal life that directly involves her and marriage. Sadeem is one example of an individual portrayed to be struggling in a patriarchal world (Al-Ghadeer, 296). The constant unrealistic expectations that the men in her life have placed on her of what a bride should behave presented her with a constant struggle in her life and a quest to ultimately try and find herself.
I find the novel in it of itself to be very insightful and with a view of a different context altogether when it comes to a woman’s standpoint on various issue. Taking four individual women with entirely different backgrounds and life we get to see different stories altogether on the concept of relationship and love. The stories range from the completely well-mannered and traditional of Muslims to the well most well educated and naïve individuals when it comes to love. It seems in its entirety that marriage and love are not as simple as its always portrayed in life. Rather when traditional norms and love are forced to come to an amicable understanding it’s often more times than ever that traditions and culture that decide everything. Patriarchal side it seems that culture on its own is a formidable and unavoidable circumstance for most Muslims when. This sort of culture ranges from religious ceremonies, family gatherings, education, and even burial rights, etc. (Al-Ghadeer, 296). It seems that in the context of this book that men are highly regarded not as the primary security of any family but rather the constant enforcers of biased rules and norms that in more ways than one are always constantly oppressing women with no regard to how they, in particular, feel or are troubled by the entire experience.
Bibliography
Burge, Amy, and Sandra Folie. “Girls of Riyadh and Desperate in Dubai: Reading and writing romance in the Middle East.” In Routledge Companion to Romantic Love. Routledge, 2020.
Al-Ghadeer, Monera. “Girls of Riyadh: A New Technology Writing or Chick Lit Defiance Banāt al-Riyāḍ [Girls of Riyadh].” (2006): 296-302.
The Girl with All the Gifts
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“The Girl with All the Gifts”
Is it right for Dr Caldwell to kill individuals like Melanie to find a vaccine for the fungal infection that turns humans into zombies? It is an intrusive question that can bring about the significant debate as people have different views regarding Dr Caldwell’s act. However, I stand by on the doctor’s side supporting his deeds and efforts of trying to find a medication that could curb the unethical act of human turning to bloodsuckers and brain-dead. “The Girl with All the Gifts” by Mike Carey is a horror drama which comprises zombies that could feed on blood and human flesh. Melanie among other zombie children who lived in the military facility tends to be victims of the deadly fungus. It is in the territory where Melanie is being experimented and studied by Dr Caldwell who is optimistic about coming up with the antinode that has efficiently interfered with an average human being existence. In this discussion, Dr Caldwell’s action of killing individuals with the attempt to come up with a vaccine for the fungal infection that changed humans to Zombies is justified to an in-depth extent.
It is right that Dr Caldwell’s act of killing people is inhumane and would lead to significant suffering to the victims as many claims in supporting their opposition side. However, the fungus infection that turns human being to brain-dead and undead creatures that are flesh eaters has been widely spread in the world affecting many people (Carey, page 9). In medication trial and error is to some extent right to find the solution to such a pandemic as it harms tend to be hazardous. It would be recommendable to keep trying as confidence and hopes are the fundamental principles that stay human moving as well as overcoming the challenges in the day to day life. What if Dr Caldwell got the right medication for the dangerous fungal after her experiments and effectively treat all the infected people in that particular location. She would have sacrificed one life for the well-being of all the affected people who had already turned to zombies as well as the whole world as from that date the medication would be significantly be used to cure any other person infected by the fungus.
In practising her professionalism as a researcher and a doctor, Dr Caldwell understands that to succeed in finding the vaccine for an irresistible infection practical specimen must be significantly used so that to the assurance that the medicine is effective. Otherwise, without proper testing, such medications can worsen the situation of many other people who will seek medication with hopes of getting back to normal or even result in their demise. In every research, field specimen must be used find a sound solution to a challenge as it acts as the control experiment. For instance, if today the physicians and other researchers do not carry out the tests to come up with medication for various diseases as it is unethical and vicious to kill abundant of the world’s population would live to suffer, and many would be dead (Carrington, page 22).
Take the HIV and Aids the widely spread disease in the universe and relate it to the fungal infection depicted in the play. It is true the Aids does not have a valid cure, but the scientist through research has come up with antiretroviral that curbs the disease and gives the victim chance to live long as other ordinary people under medication. In their control experiments to find the antiretroviral in some instances, human specimens were used to test its effectiveness, and it worked out well. What if they said no it is unethical to use humans as control experiments as they are also endangered to death? The pandemic could have continued to kill many people in the world up to date as it was the case during the early days of its discovery. Therefore, Dr Caldwell’s efforts are justified as the success in finding the antidote would be the whole community’s joy and people will leave peaceful with no fear of being attacked by the flesh-eating zombies.
In the play, Melanie is unique and gifted as she portrays distinct characteristics of being partially affected by the fungal infection. She has humanity and the desire to learn new things on how to live an average human’s life which was not the case with other regular zombies who were hungry and could not live with another human being without causing trouble. This fact attracted Dr Caldwell’s attention to learn what is that in her mind that makes Melanie partly zombie and partly humane hence the urge to carry out the intention dissecting experiment (McFarland, page 31). Dr Caldwell is passionate and significantly about the society as she could spend most of her time trying to figure out Melanie’s behaviors with the effort to find an effective vaccine to treat the fungal infections.
As discussed above, it is right for Dr Caldwell to use a human being as control experiments in coming up with appropriate treatment for the fungus infection. Let us learn to appreciate and support people in what they are passionate in as at the end their efforts might bear fruits that will be of use to the whole community and bring changes that will curb suffering. For instance, in “The Girl with All Gifts” Mike Carey tries to show that every individual is gifted differently and together people can do better enhance good co-existence. Sgt. Eddie Parks works to control the zombies in the military facility by restricting their hands, legs and heads to ensure survivability of all people in the territory as Dr Caldwell work to find treatment to turn the zombies into ordinary people. Therefore, it is essential to living together and support each other to enhance success and well-being of every individual.
References
Carey, Mike R. The Girl With All The Gifts: The most original thriller you will read this year. Hachette UK, 2014.
Carrington, Victoria. “The ‘Next People’: And the Zombies Shall Inherit the Earth.” Generation Z. Springer, Singapore, 2016. 21-35.
McFarland, James. “Philosophy of the living dead: At the origin of the zombie-image.” Cultural Critique 90.1 (2015): 22-63.
Project title (approx. 20 words)
Project title (approx. 20 words)
Reviewing the role social media has played in regards to the consumption of football amongst the millennial generation
Project question
What role has social media played within football consumption and has this affected the consumption of football amongst the millennial generation of fans?
Introduction
What is social media?
How has it changed over the past decade?
The impact it’s had on businesses?
The world of sport regularly experiences continues change (Thompson et al, 2014). With the advancements in technology, sporting organisations are being provided with new ways of building communications with sports consumers (Thompson et al, 2014). The latest innovation in technology has led to sporting organisations, to find new ways of providing content to consumers (Martin et al, 2014). Over the past decade, social media has become a great phenomenon amongst society (Wang et al, 2016). With over 2.5, billion people using various social media platforms, sports business organisations have had to make adjustments and find new ways of adapting to the latest trend in consumer communication (CNBC, 2018). The latest advancements in technology, has slowly led society to move away from old school media (CNBC, 2018). Not only has the advancement in technology opened the door for sharing personal content, but it is also becoming a key focus for sport business organisations, in terms of increasing sales and attracting new customers (Miller et al, 2016).
In the book How the world changed social media, Daniel Miller (2016) emphasises the point that people are using social media as a place to socialise and not just a means of communication with one another, but also as a way of maintaining and building relationships. Sporting organisations have recognised that social media has become the key hub for interaction amongst people in society and are capitalising by offering new content on social media platforms (Billing et al, 2015). The revolution in smart phones, computers and the introduction of tablets has enabled the public to maintain frequent online presence through social media sites (Anderson, 2018). Individuals can now use social media on a computer, mobile phones or tablet to send messages, photo and video sharing between one another or in a group (Anderson, 2018).
The shift in technology has seen traditional media outlets such as newspapers, radio, and television forced into adjusting how they communicate with the public (Rayner et al, 2004). In terms of sport, these three formats continue to be the forefront in sports consumption, for sporting audiences away from live sport venues (Blakey, 2011). On the other hand, new media technologies is now providing sports fans with an alternative way of viewing sports content, opposed to the traditional formats (Blakey, 2011).
With new media becoming a more efficient alternative for sports fans, companies are now starting to move into online subscriptions to cater for people who have moved away from the traditional format (BBC News, 2012).This is a major transformation as television, radio and newspapers were once seen for many years as the main source of information (Watkins, 2018). Sports companies are taking advantage of new media by using it as a way of communicating with the public (Watkins, 2018). The change in technology has had a major impact in the relationship between society and the media (BBC News, 2012). Internet quality has played a key part in the relationship between society and media (BBC News, 2012). Better connection, compounded by the emergence of social media platforms, major companies are now moving with time (BBC News, 2012).
The growth in technology has provided the public with more choice and has seen television and radio stations make adjustments (Degaris, 2015). Traditional formats have started to offer the sports consumers, new ways of interacting (Degaris, 2015). Blakey (2011, p.144) states, “The digital revolution has arrived and sport media technology has jumped on board”. The internet is now a powerful tool within society, sporting organisation have recognised this trend (Nicholson et al, 2015). With television and the internet being the main format for sport fans, it now outweighs other forms of media when it comes to peak viewing times (Shank and Lyberger, 2014). Sporting organisation would find the task of engaging with a mass audience very difficult if social media was not available, due its reach (Westerbeek, 2009).
Along with the internet, the mobile phone has become an essential device for keeping up with information and on demand, content has seen companies such as the BBC, Sky and BT introduce on the demand content for users (The Guardian, 2013). According to (Degaris, 2015) Mobile phones are set to exceed the number of people on earth in a few years’ time, television networks need to respond with new ways of providing content. With all smart phones, containing reliable 4G or wireless connection, consumers are in no need to own a television or radio to watch live sporting events, because this is now available through streaming on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook (The Guardian, 2013). On demand also provides consumers an opportunity to catch up on any live television they have missed, at a time it suits them (The Guardian, 2013). The BBC are recognised as one of the first television networks to have launched an online catch up service for viewers in 2007 (Telegraph, 2008). Such as the change in the landscape in traditional media, other television networks have followed suit such as ITV and Channel 4 (Telegraph, 2008). The BBC provide viewers with BBC iPlayer, which enables sporting fans to view live content such as live football matches and match of the day providing they own a smartphone that contains reliable internet connection (Telegraph, 2008).
The internet has become a staple piece of software amongst households worldwide. According to Westerbeek (2009, p237) who states that “In 2005-06, 60 per cent of all homes within Australia had access to the internet and 40% of Australian stated that they used the internet everyday”. For a sporting organisation, these numbers represent a major opportunity to market to a mass audience of people, because businesses are using the software for marketing purposes and the internet also provides access to social media (Degaris, 2015).
Over the past ten years, social media with the help of the internet, has now become the main outlet for sport businesses to advertise their latest products and services (Nicholson et al, 2015; Newman et al, 2015). Due to the technological advancements, which has enabled internet use, consumers can now access information more conveniently and efficiently (Nicholson et al, 2015). This enables sport businesses to target a larger proportion of consumers due to its reach (Blakely, 2011). Sporting organisations such as Manchester United, have over the past decade realised that social media is more efficient than traditional media in terms of advertising (Maya, 2013). The financial times (2014) points out that Manchester United’s engagement is greater than any celebrity or football team anywhere in the world and with the club boasting 659 million fans around the world, traditional media restricted the number of fans the club could engage with. Furthermore, social media has now made it more realistic for a club of Manchester United’s popularity to reach to a mass audience.
In the book Sports management review, Adam Karg states, “The emergence of social media has profoundly impacted the delivery and consumption of sport” (Karg et al, 2015; p1). Sports fans are now able to interact on social media while also watching live matches (Karg et al, 2015). A decade ago this was not the case, sports fans had to settle for traditional media such as television and radio in order to follow live sporting events (Nicholson, 2015). The development in technology and the emergence of various social media platform has enabled the delivery of live sporting events to change forever (Karg et al, 2015).
Football is one of a number of sport to have benefitted from explosion of social media (Degaris, 2015). Near enough every football team in the world is signed up to some sort of social media outlet in order to interact with fans or to expand their fan base worldwide (BBC News, 2013). Social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are now being used by professional sporting teams, in order to communicate with fans around the world (Watkins, 2018). Having strong communication with fans around the world is very important, because it provides sporting teams with an opportunity to maintain brand awareness, as well as strengthening relationships with fans (Watkins, 2018). Neilson (2015) states that in the last ten years, the media market has changed drastically due to sports fans engaging with sports on different platforms. Teams in the premier league in particular, have embraced the power of social media and it has become a key component for teams in terms of sponsorship opportunities and also a chance to advertise new merchandise (Halberstam, 2016). Football teams have further embraced social media in terms of the quick updates they can now provide fans during live events (Sanderson, 2015). Teams are now able to report line-ups, goal updates and transfer news in order to keep fans engaged with the latest activities within the club (Sanderson, 2015).
For fans, social media has become the main source of sport fandom and has led to many of the millennial generation of sport fans to watch football games, while enjoying interacting with rival fans through social media platforms (Sanderson, 2015). One example of social media platform that is commonly used football fans is Twitter. Founded in 2006 and it has over 29.9 million users in the UK and is free to set up (Sky News, 2018). The platform has seen a surge in popularity amongst sporting organisation and football fans due to its interaction ability (BBC, 2012). Sporting fans use the platform regularly to keep up to date with the latest activities within their favourite football team and organisations use it the platform to provide information (BBC, 2012). Instagram is another social media platform used by sports fans. Founded in 2010 the platform, is used by many sporting organisations and many sports fans around the world to share content such as photos and videos and allowing other people to leave likes and comments as a way of feedback (Sky News, 2018). Snapchat has recently become a popular format amongst sports fans. Snapchat has grown at a considerable pace since its emergence and has now become the third highest social media platform used by the millennial generation in terms of consuming sport (Billing et al, 2015). Facebook remains the biggest social media platform to date. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, the network boasts over 40.9 million users in the UK (Sky News, 2018). The platform provides users with opportunity to interact with one another through messenger and add pictures and videos (Sky News, 2018). Finding ways of engaging with of interacting with sports fans has become vitally important for sporting organisations (Sanderson, 2011).
Whether it is through apps or social media, sporting organisations have recognised they need to provide the right content in order to attract and maintain sports fans (Sellito, 2014). The use of athletes by sporting organisation on social media sites is an attempt to raise interactive levels amongst sports fans (Billings et al, 2015). Running marketing campaigns on social media apps with a nostalgia connection is also a way for sporting organisations to maintain a relationship with its fans (Billings et al, 2015).
Disadvantages of social media: However social media
In light of the above, the aim of this research is to analyse how clubs in the premier league are using social media and what type of content they are providing the millennial generation in order to stay connected with them.
In order to achieve the aim the following objectives will need to be achieved:
Objective 1: Introduction of social media, football, and the millennial generation and examine the connection between all three
Objective 2: To examine which social media platform is being used the most by the millennial generation
Objective 3: Objective three will analyse how social media has been used by fans to express themselves online
Objective 4: Objective four will analyse the changes in football consumption
This study intends to adopt a quantitative method of inquiry through the use of conducting online surveys. This research will mainly target people between the ages of 18-25 with a sample size of 75-100 participants asked to take part in the survey. Both male and females are welcome to take part in the survey both open and closed questions will be included within the survey in order to answer objective 2.