Gendered precarity in Saudi Arabia: Examining the state policies and patriarchal culture in the labor market

Abstract

This study explores the intersection of state-driven policies, patriarchal culture, and gender precarity in the Saudi Arabian retail sector, drawing on twenty-six in-depth interviews with employees and other stakeholders. We offer a comprehensive understanding of the multi-layered nature of precarity, focusing on the role of the patriarchal state and culture in perpetuating gender inequalities and shaping individuals' subjective experiences of precarity against the backdrop of structural precarity. For Saudi men, state-driven policies exacerbate job insecurity and challenge traditional family ideology and the breadwinner model. However, Saudi women faced socio-economic vulnerability and organisational neglect, leading to underreporting of sexual harassment and limited protests against it. This antagonistic interplay of state policies and entrenched socio-religious norms creates both structural and subjective precarity in workplaces. Our study highlights the complexities in addressing gender disparities, emphasizing the intersectionality of gender, religiosity, and power relations. It contributes to understanding gender dynamics in Saudi Arabia by illustrating how state policies and patriarchal culture shape both structural and subjective forms of precarity and emphasizes the importance of fostering feminist consciousness amongst women as part of a broader strategy for addressing gender inequalities.