Modernity in the Saudi Narrative Since the Rise of Electronic Media

Abstract

The Saudi narrative on modernity has fluctuated a lot because of electronic media. It is a communicative phenomenon rooted in the effect of technological progress within modernity and the role of virtual communication within the media environment. Saudi society has experienced modernity with tension, often shifting between accepting and rejecting its appearances. This paper reexplore modernity within the social Saudi narrative. Through a critical examination of the 1980s, via Al-Gathami’s Tale of Modernity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2005), this study reveals that electronic media in Saudi expands tolerance for difference and Otherness, blending traditional values with modern expression. This reflects a unique philosophy of communication, offering a biased reading of modernity in the digital age. Rather than embracing modernity unlimited, Saudi modernity remains collective, enabling textured representations of identity while resisting unquestioned faith in technological progress, individualism, and efficiency.