Comparing Saudi Arabia And Australian Culture: Family, Gender, Power And Authority

The commonalities and differences of stereotypical Australian and Saudi Arabian culture can be presented through the aspects of family, gender, power and authority. These aspects have an imperative role in maintaining the foundation of both cultures and are treated differently in each. This report will demonstrate that each aspect can influence another whilst integrated, observed in both cultures. More specifically, how power and authority can influence family and gender in Australian and Saudi Arabian culture.

Australia

Australia is primarily a Western culture, to some extent derived from Britain but also influenced by the unique geography of Australia, the cultural input of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other Australian people.

Power and authority

Australia is a federation whereby power and authority are shared between federal and state parliaments, governments and courts. The Australian electoral method provides for every Australian to be delineated by one member and up to twelve senators within the federal Parliament. Australia is a federation of six States that, alongside two free Territories, have their own constitutions, parliaments, governments and laws. In Australia, three levels of state get together across several areas e.g. education, health and enforcement and native government concerned in several others e.g. roads.

It is demonstrated that the Australian political system is not dictated by any form of culture or religion. Family and gender is not dictated likewise.

Family

Australia, generally, used to be a Nuclear family, but it has now evolved into various forms of families due to the influx of openly lgbtq couples and or divorce happenings. In 1970, there were 9.3 marriages per 1,000 Australian residents: a ‘marriage rate’ of 9.3. In 2016, the marriage rate had declined to 4.9. This may be due to the fact that Australia, with a score of 90 on this dimension, is a highly Individualist culture, which is the practise of looking after themselves and their direct family only.

Gender

Gender does not necessarily dictate a person’s role or duty in the family. Women are considered equal to men in Australian society. However, due to a number of reasons, less women work full-time than men and are instead available to raise their children. They also tend to have more interrupted careers than men. In other words, women in Australia are over-represented in lower-paying part-time jobs and under-represented in executive positions.

While women comprise roughly 47 per cent of all employees in Australia, they take home on average $251.20 less than men each week. The national gender “pay gap” is 15.3 per cent and it has remained stuck between 15 per cent and 19 per cent for the past two decades.

Saudi Arabia

The cultural setting of Saudi Arabia is greatly influenced by the Arab and Islamic culture whereby the society, in general, is deeply religious, conservative, traditional and family oriented.

Power and authority

Saudi Arabia is a monarchy which is ruled by the family Āl Saʿūd whose status was established by its close ties with and support of the Wahhābī religious establishment. The king, as prime minister, presides over the council of ministers whereby they are responsible for executive and administrative matters as foreign and domestic policy, defence finance, health and education.

Power rests largely in the hands of the royal family, which governs through a process that—despite the political and economic changes since the late 20th century—differs little from the traditional system of tribal rule. Tribal identity remains strong and is still an important pillar of social control. Despite the existence of a modern state bureaucracy, political influence is frequently determined by tribal affiliation. Tribal sheikhs, therefore, maintain a high degree of authority within the tribe and a considerable degree of influence over local and national events.

It is demonstrated that the Saudi Arabian political system is heavily influenced by religion and with this dictates the aspects of family in gender in its society.

Gender

Saudi Arabia has a legal system that requires all Saudi women to have a male legal guardian. The guardians have authority to make a number of decisions on behalf of women, similar to the authority a legal guardian has over a minor. Typically, a woman’s guardian is her father until her marriage, her husband during their marriage, or her brother or son if she has neither a father nor a husband. Legally, women no longer need permission to work or study, though many employers and universities continue to require permission as a condition of employment or enrolment. In the work force, Saudi women make up only 13% of the workforce, as of 2015.

Family

The structure of Saudi Arabian families are traditionally patriarchal, with the male being the leader of the family and responsible for obligations that are normally found outside the family, for example, securing and accommodating his family. Family identity is likewise attached to the father and he, hence, has authority of the children should the question arise. Men can have up to four spouses; however, polygamy is no longer widely practised. In the event that wealthier men do have more than one spouse, the wives and their kids will in general live in separate units from one another.

Females are educated to take an interest in jobs that influence life inside the family household, for example, managing the house, dealing with the children, and a few choices in regards to the child’s upbringing. However, they are not limited to these jobs, as is shown by the expanding number of successful business women. In Saudi Arabia, ‘the job of ladies is fundamental to keeping up the structure of the family and accordingly of society’ (Country Studies). This is expected in extensive part to the way that females are controlled primarily by men, keeping their virtue, and in this way their family respect, within proper limits, which, thus, makes the family’s bonds and society stronger.

Similarities and differences

The Saudi Arabian political system is heavily influenced by religion, whereby it largely affects the aspects of gender and family throughout its society. However, the Australian government is not influenced by religion as it is practised outside of the political system. Australia is a lot more evolved, with regards to gender equality, however, persist equalising the gender gap.

Saudi Arabia is far from solving its unethical practises towards women and have only taken a few steps to combat this problem. However, starting from 2015 women were able to vote for the first time. If women had more rights and privileges, then the amount of women getting abused would decrease, it would also increase the well beings of women, etc. Methods of changing gender inequality in Saudi Arabia would be inserting different political systems that in which exhibit a morally accepted point of view towards the human rights for all genders.

Conclusion

Based on the statistics, power and authority has a direct influence on gender and family in both cultural backgrounds. Power and authority should be taken carefully into accountability with regards to all individuals human rights and representation.

Bibliography

1. https://aifs.gov.au/3-gender-role-attitudes-within-couples-and-parents-time-paid-work-child-care-and-housework
2. https://aifs.gov.au/facts-and-figures
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Saudi_Arabia
4. https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/saudi-arabia-guide