abstract: This social media network (SMN) study regarding youth of Saudi Arabia, focused on the effect of the SMN on youth with their families and their traditions. The significance of this study is to have an understanding of the effect of the SMN on the youths' families. Furthermore, recommendations were given from the perspective of the youth to help improve Saudi Arabian society using SMN. A total of 617 students from University of Dammam, ages from 18-24, have participated in the survey. The results of the survey showed that the effect of the SMN on the youth and their relations with their families are resilient in some aspects. However, the outcome of involvement with the SMN is obvious on other aspects as well, such as the gained ability of self-decision making and the ability to accept opposing opinions. Moreover, the research findings specific to women indicate that they are more active in the SMNs. The results also demonstrate women gained knowledge of their rights and gained freedom of speech. Finally, the findings led to a conclusion that there is potential social change in the Saudi Arabian society, even though the family structure is not changing significantly. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.Tech Technology 2012

There has been a mixed public response on social media toward Saudi Vision 2030, which could threaten public support of its implementation. This research investigated local tensions between social, religious, political, and economic values concerning the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, with a view to understanding the opportunities and challenges of social and cultural change within an evolving Saudi society. In this study, Twitter activity is treated as a societal mirror that reflects some of the perceptions regarding the transformations taking place within Saudi society. Both a case study informed by tweets sampled from Saudi Arabia and Vision 2030 related documentation explored how the current public social media discourse reflects existing social, religious, and cultural tensions concerning the government-proposed Vision 2030. This study drew on theoretical framework informed by Durkheim’s and Ibn Khaldun’s theory of social change, Merton’s strain theory, and Luhmann’s Social System Theory, to explore social, political, economic, and religious tensions found within the interactions of Twitter users around projects and events implemented or inspired by Vision 2030. An application programming interface (API) was used to retrieve Twitter posts, while a thematic analysis was applied to published documents related to Vision 2030 to identify Saudi society’s challenges to the implementation of the Vision. The study found that within Saudi society, Vision 2030 had an impact upon the normative disorder already taking place due to the rapid changes brought about by the Vision. Specifically, the study highlighted the link between ambiguous, clear, or absent norms, and a person’s pre-existing background knowledge. Social and religious group norms were more ambitious than clear, whereas economic group norms tended to be clearer. Finally, the study found that over time, through public debates, norms moved from an ambiguous and absent stage and became increasingly well-defined. The study showed that Saudi society, as a result of Vision 2030, is experiencing a normative disorder.

L’Arabie Saoudite a été exposée, pendant la dernière décennie, à des actes terroristes menés par une classe déviante de certains de ses enfants, influencés par une mauvaise pensée et une compréhension confuse. Le gouvernement a entrepris de réagir fermement et sévèrement contre ces groupes déviants par tous les moyens et en ayant recours aux forces de sécurité et aux militaires. Les affrontements entre les forces militaires et ce groupe déviant ont conduit à la mort d'un certain nombre de militaires pendant l'exercice de leur devoir de défense de la patrie. Toutes les nations, à travers l'histoire, ont eu à coeur d’honorer comme des héros nationaux ceux qui étaient morts dans les batailles et les guerres, qui avaient donné leur vie et versé leur sang pour sauver leur patrie et leur nation. Cette reconnaissance inclut d’honorer les familles des morts et leurs proches. Par conséquent, le gouvernement du Royaume d'Arabie Saoudite a tenu à offrir des services sociaux complets aux familles des victimes du terrorisme. Cette étude révèle les efforts déployés par le ministère de l'Intérieur dans la fourniture de l'aide sociale aux familles des victimes après la perte de leur soutien. Elle se concentre sur l'analyse de ces aides de l’Etat dans diverses situations et de l’influence qu’elles ont sur les familles. La société saoudienne se caractérise par sa foi dans les liens sociaux ; à ce titre, ces victimes méritent d'être reconnues, et leur famille, qui a été confiée à la communauté après avoir perdu le soutien que représentait, pour elle, la victime, mérite attention et protection sociale. / Saudi Arabia has been exposed, over the last decade, to terrorist acts on the hands of a deviant group of people, influenced by wrong thoughts and chaotic perspectives. The Government has undertaken to, firmly and strictly, respond to these deviant groups by all means through its security and military institutions. The combats between the military forces and this deviant group have led to the kill of a number of soldiers during doing their duty to defend their homeland. All nations, throughout history, have been keening on honoring their national heroes; the victims, those who had died in battles and wars against terrorism paying their lives and blood for the sake of their country, and consequently, their nation. This appreciation extends to include honoring the victims’ families. Therefore, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been committed to providing them with a comprehensive social care as a kind of appreciation for their efforts. This study reveals the efforts of the Ministry of Interior to provide the victims’ families with social assistance as victims of their boundless loss. It focuses on analyzing the subsidies offered for those special cases in different situations and its influence on them socially and psychologically. Saudi society is characterized by its faith in social ties; as such, these victims and their families deserve recognition and appreciation especially after losing their own support.