ضآلة التأثير تُعثِّر الثقافة السعوديّة عن العالمية

Perhaps the Saudi intellectual, and specifically the writer, has not received any attention from global academic and cultural institutions, despite the care given to Arab names from other countries. Thus, we rarely hear of an invitation directed to a local intellectual to participate in a global cultural event. The absence of qualitative output and the weakness of institutional support may have contributed to sidelining our intellectuals from the global platforms that the arts and other activities have reached. Here is an attempt to clarify the reasons for this absence or marginalization, to inform the reader about what is happening, and to open the doors for discussion on a topic that deserves to be the subject of seminars and extended dialogues.

Dr. Musfer bin Ali Al-Qahtani believes that our cultural institutions focus on creating vibrant ideas that pulse with progress, by exploring the grand ideas that lead development programs and drive the engines of growth to work under difficult circumstances. He points out that if we do not establish a cognitive leap based on sound research methodologies, and through empowering our Arabic language in all fields, there will be gaps and chasms that may halt our progress or prevent it from being on the right path.

Al-Qahtani considers the absence of grand ideas and solid cultural projects as an obstacle to reaching the platform of global interests, as it is rare to find a Saudi intellectual whose works receive study and attention and whose proposals are presented outside our borders. He attributes this to the clique mentality that confines the intellectual within the framework of their group and their comfort zone, seeing no one else. Consequently, our media, journalistic, and cultural platforms become monopolized by the official and their group, leading to the loss of valuable contributions that have been absent due to the deliberate sidelining of unknown competent individuals. Additionally, the intellectual of the Arabian Peninsula has chosen to remain in a state of apprenticeship for decades, making it difficult for them to transcend this state, even psychologically. Furthermore, the past professors from the "Northern Arabs" over the past three decades also found it difficult to make space for the Saudi intellectual, specifically to dominate the platforms of honor and praise, due to intentional ignorance. This sick era has been surpassed, he adds, noting that the solid Saudi cultural output has shrunk from influential sites due to the poverty of cultural supplements and universities in developing it through critique, discussion, and maturation in the discursive field. The spotlight has shifted to lighter products such as novels, stories, and poetry, flooding the cultural arena with a dense triviality, and the works of social media celebrities have topped the bestseller lists, with everyone aware of their fragility and lack of substance. He said, "I regret to see a competent intellectual in their field of knowledge turn to the realm of novels in search of the glory of trends and empty fame. This and similar cases will remain confined to their local environment and in a general cultural milieu that only knows applause and praise." He clarified that we have today in Saudi Arabia a historic opportunity, distinctive capabilities, and official support to return to global competition and solid intellectual building. However, these capabilities depend on the existence of an authentic intellectual capable of carving their cognitive path amidst all the noise, as solid output imposes its strength and globality, even if after a while.

Poet and translator Sharif Baqna affirms that answering such a question requires courage in dissecting reality and deconstructing the concept of "globality" itself. The scene can be summarized in several intertwined contexts. First and foremost, we must acknowledge a harsh reality, which is that "globality" by today's standards remains a purely Western product. No matter how much we talk about the dialogue of civilizations, the West—with its extensions in America, Europe, and Japan—remains a dominant cultural bloc that possesses the tools of international recognition. He points out that whoever holds the economic and media balance also holds the cultural balance. We are faced with a scene where major awards, influential publishing houses, and philosophical platforms are managed with Western tools and standards, making it an existential challenge for the intellectual coming from the East to break through the solid wall. The East remains East, and the West remains West. Baqna added: There is a historical gap and its burden, as we have been very late in catching up with the train of major transformations like the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Industrial Revolution. This temporal delay has created a state of "defending identity" for religious, national, and political reasons, leading to long years of relative closure and a lack of bold openness to the other, which is a prerequisite for exporting culture rather than consuming it. He believes that our output is drowning in purely local details, with a clear weakness in reverse translation bridges that connect us to the world. Although we are witnessing today a promising Saudi and Gulf movement—whether in translation, awards, or conferences—that seeks to bridge this gap, he emphasizes that creating a cultural symbol that transcends borders is a cumulative process that requires patience and time to change the rules of the game.

Writer Suham Hussein Al-Qahtani confirms that we have in the field of culture individuals who have managed to transcend local boundaries to reach Arab ones, including Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghadhami and Dr. Saad Al-Bazai. In terms of novels, there are Abdu Khal and Badriya Al-Bishr. In comparison, we find that the Saudi achievements in scientific, medical, and artistic fields, as well as fashion design, have managed to reach global levels, whether in terms of the achievements themselves or the achievers.

Al-Qahtani expressed her regret that culture is the weakest link. She attributed the stagnation of Saudi cultural output on its way to globality to the characteristics of the cultural output itself, namely the absence of authenticity, renewal, and the humanity of the cultural idea, and the entrapment in the maze of imitation, in addition to issues of marketing and translation, and the absence of a national investment project for cultural output, and its institutional support for global competitiveness, similar to other Saudi achievements that have reached global status, such as education and medicine, which she sees as an Arab issue, not just a Saudi one.

On the other hand, poet Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Huqail stated that if we start from the idea that the intellectual produces literature and creates culture, meaning that it is not just literary creativity, we will find ourselves in very narrow spaces, which constrict opportunities. We are a nation that loves poetic, narrative, and critical creativity. Al-Huqail added: This leads to another issue because we find ourselves in a predicament; most journalists have become writers, and evening events are held for them, which means that literature is lost, and criticism loses its identity, as most critics seek immediate reactions, which means they shock the audience with something that achieves fame, and here criticism loses its place.

He believes that we have lost true creators due to the crowding and the lack of someone to tell the competitors to stop, as so-and-so is honored not because they are a good poet, storyteller, or novelist, nor because they are an excellent critic, but because they are famous or semi-famous on social media. And there is a true creator who is absent or marginalized because they do not care much about what we call "social media."

Al-Huqail believes that we have not achieved true internal balance to launch globally.

Critic Dr. Bushra Al-Ahmadi sees that when the question of the globality of the Saudi intellectual is raised, attention turns to several prominent names in the Saudi literary scene, such as Raja Alem, the winner of the Arabic Booker Prize, Ghazi Al-Qusaibi, and Abdu Khal, whose works have been translated into several languages and reached a wide audience beyond borders. She clarifies that they cannot be classified as global intellectuals in the precise sense of the term, as their works have not become intellectual references taught in global universities, nor have they made a profound impact on international philosophical and humanitarian dialogue.

Al-Ahmadi pointed out that the absence of the global Saudi intellectual is not related to the weakness of local names or talents, but rather to a set of historical and cultural factors that have intertwined and contributed to shaping the literary experience in the Kingdom. These include the novelty of the Saudi cultural experience, as the Saudi cultural scene is still in its early formation compared to older Arab experiences. Global presence requires a long accumulation of intellectual currents and research institutions, even if they have begun to crystallize relatively late in the local context, not due to weakness, but rather as a necessary temporal phase for the maturation of the experience. Additionally, the limited translation for decades has constrained the reach of Saudi literature to readers and universities abroad.

Al-Ahmadi noted that local cultural discussions have remained for decades focused on internal social issues, far from the major humanitarian topics that form a fundamental entry point for any intellectual towards globality. She affirmed that the Saudi cultural scene is witnessing today a qualitative transformation, as the translation movement is expanding, cultural events are increasing at a remarkable pace, and international partnerships are deepening year after year. With this intense movement, the environment seems ready for the emergence of the global Saudi intellectual, who possesses a cognitive project capable of crossing borders and influencing the broad humanitarian discourse.

Lamia Ba'ashan: Culture Does Not Need Globality

In middle school, I studied at a school called "Popular Culture," and its goal was not to educate us or enhance our popular sensibility, but the term culture was popular and attractive at the time because it indicated broader knowledge and open reading, outside the structured scope. The overall intent of the school was to educate the daughters of the people, an ordinary school adhering to official educational curricula. This clear confusion between the terms knowledge and culture has branched over time to include all intellectual activities and societal practices.

She sees that the issue of the term culture is complex due to its wide inclusivity, as Ibn Khaldun linked it to "human civilization" and its various phenomena in arts and knowledge acquired through education and thought. The British anthropologist Edward Tylor described it as "that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, law, customs, and all the capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society." She points out that, in its contemporary concept, the term "culture" has not separated from the interconnections of skills, knowledge, and societal practices at various levels.

Ba'ashan questioned: In facing this cultural issue that raises a question about the global cultural identity of Saudi Arabia, the question arising from this introduction must leap forth: Which part of Saudi culture do we aspire to globalize? And who is this Saudi intellectual that we want to select to represent Saudi culture?

She answers: In my opinion, the Ministry of Culture has initiated the showcasing of aspects of Saudi culture in its entirety and exporting it to the world in its most beautiful forms, whether on the local or external level. The word "culture" signifies a complete society, both ancient and modern, and developed, and the Saudi community has a culture deeply rooted in history as it is an Arab Muslim community. It is a transitional culture that formed its pure features in the twentieth century and beyond, and it is a changing and interactive culture with global events, intertwined with other nearby and distant cultures.

She added: What I mean is that Saudi culture, in its entirety, does not need to aspire to globality as a difficult goal to achieve, as it has recorded its presence globally in various international forums and secured its position as an active element in the intertwining and influencing and being influenced by all meanings and terms of diverse culture. It is a reactive culture, not dormant, even if it remains different, with stable and distinctive features, reflecting the continuity of its unique characteristics through the adherence of its people to practicing it, taking pride in it, and developing and circulating it.

She considers the idea of the "global Saudi intellectual" who represents Saudi culture to be contradictory. The writer, poet, thinker, playwright, singer, and filmmaker are individual manifestations of specialized cultures, and perhaps the work of any of them may stand out impressively, deserving translation of their works or celebration in official occasions to represent their country globally in their artistic skills. However, the intellectual's fields are open; they are knowledgeable, engaged, active, and immersed in their community's specific and shared issues, making it difficult to select them for external distinction.