WOMEN, FAMILY AND THE DISCOVERY OF OIL IN SAUDI-ARABIA

Saudi society has witnessed massive changes in a short period of time. This paper investigates the impact of these changes on the Saudi fami ly in general and women in particular. Data were collected from questi onnaires and interviews of 95 Saudi working women in Riyadh city, the capital of Saudi Arabia. This study reports that not all aspects of th e Saudi family have changed in the same degree. Marital aspects such a s housing, home appliances, furniture, and brideprice have changed fas ter than cultural ones, such as marriage pattern, roles, attitudes tow ards the sexual division of labor and authority in the family. One imp ortant change, however, that has taken place in the Saudi family is th e dynamic of the marital relationship Whereas traditionally this relat ionship was characterized by the exaggerated respect wives were expect ed to show their husbands in their daily interactions, nowadays a mutu al respect and understanding is increasingly evident in the relationsh ip. It is important to note that women's attitudes towards equality be tween the sexes tend to be more progressive than those of men. Moreove r, different expectations have caused role conflict in the family and an increase in the divorce rate. Though men have lost some of their so cial and religious authority in the family, their economic and general authority remains intact. The Saudi family is a male-dominated instit ution with the important decisions still being made by men. Cultural n orms, civil rules, juridical legislations, support men's authority in the family and society.