Law and Society in Saudi Arabia
Legislation, jurisprudence, and legal mobilization have undergone epochal alterations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Historically, Saudi law has been identified predominantly with uncodified Islamic law, although legal realities on the ground have been much more complex but often little understood. With the publication of court judgments and the introduction of specialized courts, King ‘Abdallah initiated a process of legal transformation which has gained momentum since King Salman ascended the throne in 2015. One of the most recent developments is the codification of Islamic law, which many regard as a pivotal moment in the evolution of law in Saudi Arabia. How does this intersect with, impact on, and influence earlier understandings of law and legality? In this conference, we would like to take stock and reflect on the radical changes that law and society have undergone in recent years and in historic perspective.
The two-day conference addresses the role of the law in Saudi society both in the past and the present. We adopt a broad understanding of law, one encompassing both Islamic normativity as well as state-issued codes. This includes the law as it is conceptualized and applied by state institutions and legal professionals (religious scholars, lawyers, judges). It also encompasses the various ways in which people interact with the law and legal institutions in their everyday lives and how they express themselves through legal language. We believe that a better understanding of these practices can provide us with important insights into past and ongoing processes of social and political transformation in the kingdom.
With this “law and society” approach, we seek to bridge the gap between the study of social, political, and historical phenomena on the one hand, and research on the Saudi legal system on the other hand. In other words, we seek to discuss law in its social context from various perspectives: How is law socially and historically constructed in Saudi Arabia? How does law impact Saudi culture and politics? How are inequalities reinforced through differential access to and familiarity with procedures and institutions?
The conference will focus on the following topics:
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Law in history: law and state-building; constitutional movement; historical case studies,
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Law and equality: courts, litigation, and access to justice; legal mobilization; human rights,
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Law and Islam: morality, public decency, and Islamic law; waqf; finance and banking; fatwas and legal language,
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Law and gender: divorce and custody; women’s rights and mobilization; domestic violence, sexual harassment,
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Law and governance: constitution/the Basic Law of Governance; citizenship/nationality; laws affecting associations and civil society; law-making and state institutions,
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Law in action: legal language and its use in society; navigating the law: lawyers and legal procedures, digital technology and the law; the experience of courts; the effects of globalization on the law.
More information and the full programme can be found here:
https://www.saudi-law-society.net/
There is limited capacity for listeners to attend the conference. If you are interested in attending, please click here to apply.
Veranstaltungsdetails
Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, Kirchweg 33, 14129 Berlin