In September 2020, Saudi Arabia surprised many, when it opened its first dog-friendly cafe. This is of course in addition to other extraordinary societal changes that the country is seemingly going through, such as allowing women to drive, the opening of cinemas, WWE (yes, the pro-wrestling company) hosting mega shows in their country, and rap concerts!

The question is, do these changes mark a sharp shift in sociopolitics in the country OR is it just a facade? Is the country known for its high oil production and low human rights record becoming more progressive? We discuss with James Dorsey, Senior Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies & the Middle East Institute.

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