Joyriding in Riyadh: Oil, Urbanism, and Road Revolt (Cambridge Middle East Studies, Series Number 45)

Why do young Saudis, night after night, joyride and skid cars on Riyadh's avenues? Who are these 'drifters' who defy public order and private property? What drives their revolt? Based on four years of fieldwork in Riyadh, Pascal Menoret's Joyriding in Riyadh explores the social fabric of the city and connects it to Saudi Arabia's recent history. Car drifting emerged after Riyadh was planned, and oil became the main driver of the economy. For young rural migrants, it was a way to reclaim alienating and threatening urban spaces. For the Saudi state, it jeopardized its most basic operations: managing public spaces and enforcing law and order. A police crackdown soon targeted car drifting, feeding a nation-wide moral panic led by religious activists who framed youth culture as a public issue. This book retraces the politicization of Riyadh youth and shows that, far from being a marginal event, car drifting is embedded in the country's social violence and economic inequality. Cover 1 Half title 3 Series page 5 Title 7 Copyright 8 Dedication 9 Epigraph 10 Contents 11 Figures 13 Maps 15 1 A Night with ‘Ajib 17 1.1. Joyriding in Riyadh 18 1.2. Cars and Road Violence 21 1.3. The Emergence of a Plebeian Public Sphere 25 1.4. Reflexive Anthropology and the War on Terror 28 1.5. Saudi Youth and the Politics of Representation 32 1.6. Plan of the Book 35 2 Repression and Fieldwork 37 2.1. In the Steppes of Upper Najd 39 2.2. Loyalists, Islamists, and Jihadists 43 2.3. Down and Out in Najd 48 2.4. Activism and Frustration 53 2.5. Surveillance and Repression 60 2.6. Violence and Fun 69 3 City of the Future 77 3.1. Saudi Suburbia 77 3.2. Doxiadis and Containment Urbanism 83 3.3. Bedouin Removal 90 3.4. Mobility and Slums 98 3.5. Land Is Political 103 3.6. “Mecca-Oriented Roads” 110 4 The Business of Development 118 4.1. Parking Crisis in Sulaymaniyya 118 4.2. The Urban Consequences of the Oil Boom 121 4.3. The Saudi Exception 130 4.4. “The Inhumanity of the Place” 135 4.5. “You Don’t Need to Innovate” 140 4.6. Urban Space, Contentious Space 144 5 Street Terrorism 149 5.1. Public Disorder 149 5.2. Joyriding and Social Suffering 156 5.3. The Story of Joyriding 163 5.4. “If You Have a Lexus, You Are a Lexus” 168 5.5. Reclaiming Urban Interstices 175 5.6. “Sexy Boys Compete for You” 179 6 Street Politics 190 6.1. The Death of Sharari 190 6.2. “Either Death or Repentance” 193 6.3. A State Sociology of Joyriding 198 6.4. Moral Panic 202 6.5. Criminologists and Policemen 208 6.6. “Camry Plays, Police Puke” 214 Epilogue 223 Notes 227 Bibliography 247 Photo Credits 257 Index 259 Series list 267 Why Do Young Saudis, Night After Night, Joyride And Skid Cars On Riyadh's Avenues? Who Are These Drifters Who Defy Public Order And Private Property? What Drives Their Revolt? Based On Four Years Of Fieldwork In Riyadh, Pascal Menoret's Joyriding In Riyadh Explores The Social Fabric Of The City And Connects It To Saudi Arabia's Recent History. Car Drifting Emerged After Riyadh Was Planned, And Oil Became The Main Driver Of The Economy. For Young Rural Migrants, It Was A Way To Reclaim Alienating And Threatening Urban Spaces. For The Saudi State, It Jeopardized Its Most Basic Operations: Managing Public Spaces And Enforcing Law And Order. A Police Crackdown Soon Targeted Car Drifting, Feeding A Nationwide Moral Panic Led By Religious Activists Who Framed Youth Culture As A Public Issue. The Book Retraces The Politicization Of Riyadh Youth And Shows That, Far From Being A Marginal Event, Car Drifting Is Embedded In The Country's Social Violence And Economic Inequality. List Of Maps -- List Of Figures -- A Night With 'ajib -- Repression And Fieldwork -- City Of The Future -- The Business Of Development -- Street Terrorism -- Street Politics -- Epilogue -- Bibliography -- Photo Credits. Pascal Menoret, New York University, Abu Dhabi. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Du site de l'éd.: Why do young Saudis, night after night, joyride and skid cars on Riyadh's avenues? Who are these "drifters" who defy public order and private property? What drives their revolt? Based on four years of fieldwork in Riyadh, Pascal Menoret's Joyriding in Riyadh explores the social fabric of the city and connects it to Saudi Arabia's recent history. Car drifting emerged after Riyadh was planned, and oil became the main driver of the economy. For young rural migrants, it was a way to reclaim alienating and threatening urban spaces. For the Saudi state, it jeopardized its most basic operations: managing public spaces and enforcing law and order. A police crackdown soon targeted car drifting, feeding a nationwide moral panic led by religious activists who framed youth culture as a public issue. The book retraces the politicization of Riyadh youth and shows that, far from being a marginal event, car drifting is embedded in the country's social violence and economic inequality