Saudi Women in Sports and Vision 2030: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Media Representation and Ideological Shifts
List of Authors
Farah Nadia Harun, Muhammad Marwan Ismail, Nurhasma Muhammad Saad, Wan Moharani Mohammad, Zulkipli Md Isa
Keyword
Saudi Women; Sports; Arabic Online News; Critical Discourse Analysis; Presupposition
Abstract
Saudi Vision 2030, launched in 2016, has marked a turning point in Saudi Arabia’s social transformation, particularly in expanding opportunities for women. Prior to this initiative, Saudi women faced extensive restrictions, including prohibitions on sports participation and requirements for male guardianship in many aspects of daily life. International media often highlighted these struggles, while local outlets defended them as rooted in Islamic and tribal traditions. This study critically examines how Al-Jazirah (AJ) and Al-Arabia (AA), among Saudi Arabia’s most prominent Arabic online news outlets, represented women’s involvement in sports before and after Vision 2030. Using Fairclough’s textual-oriented Critical Discourse Analysis, Wodak’s discourse-historical approach, and Van Dijk’s framework on discourse and ideology, the research analyzes presupposition strategies in AJ’s coverage of Saudi women between 2010 and 2025. Findings reveal a marked discursive shift: prior to 2016, AJ presupposed women’s participation as restricted and contested, while post-2016 coverage increasingly normalized and celebrated their achievements. By 2025, AA actively encouraged women’s engagement in sports, reflecting broader ideological realignments under Vision 2030. This study highlights how presupposition strategies function as subtle mechanisms of power, shaping public perception and legitimizing social change in Saudi Arabia.