Mark C. Thompson is Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Socioeconomic Program at King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) in Saudi Arabia. He was previously Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. He has published Being Young Male and Saudi (2019) and Saudi Arabia and the Path to Political Change (I.B.Tauris, 2014), and is the co-editor of Policy-Making in the GCC (I.B.Tauris, 2017).Neil Quilliam is Managing Director at Azure Strategy Consulting in the UK and an associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, London, UK where he headed the programme’s ‘Future Dynamics in the Gulf’ project. He has served as senior MENA energy adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), senior MENA analyst at Control Risks, London, and senior programme officer at the United Nations University, Jordan.

Mark Thompson and Neil Quilliam have put together a masterful volume focused on some of the largest and most relevant issues facing Saudi Arabia today. Ranging from coverage of the Kingdom’s efforts at economic reform to defense capacity, educational reform, and climate change, this timely collection features a number of studies important for students and policymakers alike, as Saudi Arabia emerges under Mohammed bin Salman as a distinct actor on the international and regional scene.

• AbbreviationsContributorsIntroduction: “Setting the Scene: Domestic Policy Making and Governance in Saudi Arabia”, Dr. Mark C. Thompson & Dr. Neil QuilliamPART 1: MAKING POLICY IN SAUDI ARABIAChapter 1: “How is evidence used for policymaking in Saudi Arabia? Lessons from Harvard's engagements in human capital development and labour policy”, Dr. Ammar Malik, Director of Evidence for Policy Design Research, Harvard Kennedy School, Boston, USAChapter 2: “How Can Saudi Arabia Better Coordinate Divergent Economic Reform Agendas?”Faris Al Sulayman & Dr. Makio Yamada, King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaChapter 3: “King-Makers or Knaves? The Role of Consultants in Domestic Policy Making and Governance in Saudi Arabia”, David Jones & Radhika Punshi, Founders, CEO and Managing Director at The Talent Enterprise, Dubai, UAEPART 2: PUTTING POLICIES INTO PRACTICEChapter 4: “Beyond the Glitter Factor: Building Defense Capacity in Salman’s Saudi Arabia”, Professor David Des Roches, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Washington DC, USAChapter 5: “Vocational Education and Training in Saudi Arabia: How Decisions about TVET Can Help Align Education Policies with Young People’s Aspirations”, Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed, University College London, UKChapter 6: “In-depth analysis of obesity causes and proposed innovative solutions”, Dr. Wareed Alenaini, University of Westminster, London, UKPART 3: GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES: MANAGING ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIESChapter 7: “Energy Governance: is the new meeting the old in Saudi Arabia's energy industries?”, Jessica Obeid, Energy Consultant, Academy Associate Chatham House, London, UKChapter 8: “In Search of Legitimation: Environmental Policy making in Saudi Arabia”, Tobias Zumbrägel, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, GermanyChapter 9: “Climate change governance in Saudi Arabia: integrity, politics, challenges and opportunities”, Dr. Aisha Al Sarihi, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaChapter 10: “Last Man Standing: Global Climate Action and Saudi Reaction”, Dr. Jim Kran, Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public PolicyBibliographyIndex

Mark C. Thompson is Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Socioeconomic Program at King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) in Saudi Arabia. He was previously Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. He has published Being Young Male and Saudi (2019) and Saudi Arabia and the Path to Political Change (I.B.Tauris, 2014), and is the co-editor of Policy-Making in the GCC (I.B.Tauris, 2017).Neil Quilliam is Managing Director at Azure Strategy Consulting in the UK and an associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, London, UK where he headed the programme’s ‘Future Dynamics in the Gulf’ project. He has served as senior MENA energy adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), senior MENA analyst at Control Risks, London, and senior programme officer at the United Nations University, Jordan.

Mark Thompson and Neil Quilliam have put together a masterful volume focused on some of the largest and most relevant issues facing Saudi Arabia today. Ranging from coverage of the Kingdom’s efforts at economic reform to defense capacity, educational reform, and climate change, this timely collection features a number of studies important for students and policymakers alike, as Saudi Arabia emerges under Mohammed bin Salman as a distinct actor on the international and regional scene.

• AbbreviationsContributorsIntroduction: “Setting the Scene: Domestic Policy Making and Governance in Saudi Arabia”, Dr. Mark C. Thompson & Dr. Neil QuilliamPART 1: MAKING POLICY IN SAUDI ARABIAChapter 1: “How is evidence used for policymaking in Saudi Arabia? Lessons from Harvard's engagements in human capital development and labour policy”, Dr. Ammar Malik, Director of Evidence for Policy Design Research, Harvard Kennedy School, Boston, USAChapter 2: “How Can Saudi Arabia Better Coordinate Divergent Economic Reform Agendas?”Faris Al Sulayman & Dr. Makio Yamada, King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaChapter 3: “King-Makers or Knaves? The Role of Consultants in Domestic Policy Making and Governance in Saudi Arabia”, David Jones & Radhika Punshi, Founders, CEO and Managing Director at The Talent Enterprise, Dubai, UAEPART 2: PUTTING POLICIES INTO PRACTICEChapter 4: “Beyond the Glitter Factor: Building Defense Capacity in Salman’s Saudi Arabia”, Professor David Des Roches, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Washington DC, USAChapter 5: “Vocational Education and Training in Saudi Arabia: How Decisions about TVET Can Help Align Education Policies with Young People’s Aspirations”, Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed, University College London, UKChapter 6: “In-depth analysis of obesity causes and proposed innovative solutions”, Dr. Wareed Alenaini, University of Westminster, London, UKPART 3: GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES: MANAGING ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIESChapter 7: “Energy Governance: is the new meeting the old in Saudi Arabia's energy industries?”, Jessica Obeid, Energy Consultant, Academy Associate Chatham House, London, UKChapter 8: “In Search of Legitimation: Environmental Policy making in Saudi Arabia”, Tobias Zumbrägel, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, GermanyChapter 9: “Climate change governance in Saudi Arabia: integrity, politics, challenges and opportunities”, Dr. Aisha Al Sarihi, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaChapter 10: “Last Man Standing: Global Climate Action and Saudi Reaction”, Dr. Jim Kran, Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public PolicyBibliographyIndex