LA TERCERA GENERACIÓN: LOS CIRCUITOS INTEGRADOS

Remarkable changes occurred in the contemporary Saudi society and life has become more complex (Table 4.2). The contemporary society is currently dominated by capitalist values and practices. In addition, it is more complex than ever before, with displays of more individualist and selfish tendencies, all of which contradict Islamic teaching. According to Silberstein and Maser (2000), capitalism responds more to the flow of money transfer than to human needs. Indeed, Saudi society has become less integrated as a result of individualist values which compromises tightly knit social and moral fabric. Different forces have influenced traditional Saudi society. The oil booms and its revenues were considered the first main driving force of social and economic transformation. The increase in oil revenues have solved some economic problems but created a new set of problems, where the newfound wealth propelled capitalist practices such as rampant materialism.

The Saudi government is considered the second main driving force of the recent cultural changes in the country. The Saudi government has always pushed its society to move forward by supporting education, which influences the country. As a result, Saudi society has moved from a highly illiterate and naive and easily impressionable society to an educated, critically aware and urbanised one (Aba- Namay, 1993). According to Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2011), literacy rates increased from 79 per cent in 2003 to 87 per cent in 2009 (MOEP, 2005).

Western imported planning regulations that have replaced the old and have had a significant impact on social contact. The imported regulations have adversely effected the use of outdoor space, ad hoc visits and gathering among neighbours, and segregated residents into classes (Salagoor, 1990; Adas, 2001; Eben Saleh, 2002; Garba, 2004; Ali, 2009). The influx of migration and immigration has caused the cities to become cultural hybridities of different cultures. The new

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sub-cultures have had an impact on the Saudi lifestyle, as evidenced by changing clothing fashions, increases the value and level of education and awareness, and changes to the ethnicity of the Saudi society.

Modernising technology was the fifth force that influences the culture, particularly communication technologies as the telephone, mobile phone, internet, television, etc., have has had many impacts on the culture and society. Saudi society has moved from a generally closed and isolated society to a more open and knowledgeable one. This is especially true forthose living in the centre of the country. These people were geographically isolated and had less communication historically with other cultures than those living in coastal port cities. However, modern technology has produced a significant shift in values, where has weakened direct interaction between family members, allowing the option of sending text massages or emails instead (Ali, 2009). In addition, instead of spending time with extended family, tribe, friends or neighbours people spend a lot of time watching television and surfing the internet.

The contemporary Saudi family structure has changed from extended families to nuclear families, or to what Allan (1985) calls “a modified extended family”. The younger generation prefers private life after marriage, opting not to live with their extended families or tribe (Bokhari, 1978; Al-Omari, 1984; Altorki, 1991). However, regardless of this new found independence, financial and emotional support remains intact as a responsibility among family members (Adas, 2001), especially the nuclear family. Another drastic change in the contemporary Saudi family structure is the average age of marriage. Marriages are occurring later in people‟s lives because of the costs of living and the period of education. Additionally, there are trends toward inter-family (outside the tribal family) and intercultural marriages, (outside Arab or Islamic culture). However, traditional marriages from within tribes at younger ages still occur. Divorces rates are increasing, which consider a negative indicator that has had adverse effects on family and community integration and wider social relationships (MOJ, 2012).

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Ideology _ Islamic principles and socio-cultural values. _{„Do not harm others and others should not harm you‟.}  Capitalism

Society characteristics and customs  Simplicity.  Collaboration.  Hospitality.  Generosity.  Self-reliance.

 Various income strata lived together as neighbours.

 Trust, safety and security.

 Unity and integration.

 Privacy and gender segregation.

 Privacy amongst neighbours was highly respected.

 Strong relationship between neighbours.

 Affiliation.  Nomadic.  Endurance.  Integration.  Individualism.  Complexity.  Selfish tendencies.  Apathy.  Lack of belonging.  Love of power.  Passing responsibility.

 Paid servants and drivers.

 Racism.

 Urbanized.

 Privacy and gender segregation remain as custom.

 Privacy amongst neighbours became less respected.

 Weak relationship between neighbours.

 Segregated areas according to classes.

 Conflict between generations.

Family

 Extended family was the structure of the society.

 Strong interaction between the members of extended family.

 Emotional support between the members of extended family.

 Loyalty and obligation to the tribe.

 Family structure has changed from extended to nuclear families.

 Weak interaction between the members of extended family.

 Emotional support among the nuclear family.

 Fewer obligations to the tribe. Marriage

 People married at a young age (16 for girls and 25 for men).

 Marriage was between the same extended family or the same tribe.

 People are marrying late (25 for girls and 40 for men)

 Intercultural marriages (Arabs or non-Arabs).

 Traditional marriages from the family and within the tribe still occur. Divorce  Low rate of divorce.  Increase in the rate of divorce.

Woman‟s Status

 Limited role.

 Take care of the house, husband, and children.

 Working professional jobs.

 Support the family.

 Often has control of choosing the house and its furnishings. Education

 High level of illiteracy.

 Lack of awareness especially for those who live in the centre of the country and have less connection with other cultures.

 Increase in the rate of literacy.

 Increase in the level of knowledge and awareness.

Old society Contemporary Society

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Today, women have total control of choosing the house and its furnishings. Moreover, owing to life‟s complexities and women‟s education, women are additionally working full time professional jobs to support the family and presumably for their own sense of ambition. As a result, domestic duties associated with household maintenance and childcare, are often given over to a paid house maid15. Paid servants are now the norm in most households, where servants are responsible for cleaning the house and helping with childcare. Drivers are also commonplace because women are not allowed to drive or ride bicycles in major cities (Knickmeyer, 2013). Women with jobs or with household chores, such as shopping, are dependent on the men of their families or on hired drivers to assist them16. The life of having servant(s) or a hired driver has become so commonplace that it has had a marked impact on housing design.

As the implications of modernisation continue, new remarkably negative attitudes have emerged in Saudi society that contradicts Islamic teachings. There seems to be a culture of apathy and passing responsibility because people generally expect the government to finance everything, perceiving it as endlessly wealthy. In addition, as is the case in many other countries around the world, it seems to be a cultural characteristic in Saudi Arabia that people in any situation, especially, in positions of responsibility will not admit they are wrong, this is because our nature as human and could be attributed to different reasons weakness, afraid of punishment in case they admit they were wrong or afraid of losing respect or pride which is culturally important. However, this could be an indicator for not being a learning culture.

Although many of Saudi society‟s traditions and customs have disappeared, some fundamental religious and social principles remain integral. For instance, the concepts of privacy and gendered segregation are considered important obligatory values. The practice of privacy and gendered segregation should be taken into

15 _{In the Saudi culture the house maid must be a female.} 16

Saudi Arabia is the only country that prohibits women from driving in the city. However, women are allowed to drive in villages. There is no stipulated verse in Islamic or government law that forbids women to drive cars or ride bicycles. In 2011and 2013, there was a feminist movement encouraging women to drive as one of their human rights as long as it does not contradict Islamic laws. This movement was met by disapproval from many conservatives and the police were giving orders to stop them and take a pledge from them and their fathers not to drive again. However this is an ongoing protest (Knickmeyer, 2013).

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account in design and planning decisions because it remains a religious and socio- cultural obligation of the community.