The Political Economy Unit existed between 2017 and 2018. The Unit was first created as the Energy Studies Unit in 2015. The Political Economy Unit was headed by Dr. Makio Yamada and staffed by Faris Al-Sulayman and Othman Almazyad as well as Dr. Mark C. Thompson as an associate. The Energy Studies Unit was headed by Princess Noura bint Turki Al Saud.

Publications

Steffen Hertog, "Can We Saudize the Labor Market without Damaging the Private Sector?," Special Report, November 2018. (Guest contribution) 

Faris Al-Sulayman, "State-Business Relations in the Reform Era: Growing Pressures and Diverging Economic Policy Agendas," Special Report, November 2018.

Makio Yamada, "Skilling Youth: Japan’s Experience in 'Joint Training' of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises," Commentary, October 2018. 

Mark C. Thompson, "Addressing the Key Challenges Facing the 'Entrepreneurial Streak' in Young Saudis," Commentary, January 2018. 

Makio Yamada, "How Did Japan Achieve a 1% Unemployment Rate?: Facilitating the Education-to-Employment Transition," Dirasat, December 2017. 

Othman Almazyad, "Reasons for the Continuity of Long-Lasting Japanese Companies," Special Report, December 2017. (Arabic only) 

Faris Al-Sulayman, "Distributed Renewables and the Shaping of the New Saudi Economy," Commentary, December 2017. 

Makio Yamada, "King Salman's Visit to Tokyo: In Search of New Concepts for Saudi-Japanese Relations," Commentary, May 2017. 

Mark C. Thompson, "Youth Perceptions of 'Uneven Globalization' in Saudi Arabia," Commentary, May 2017. 

Makio Yamada, "Saudi Vision 2030 and the Transformation of Saudi-Japanese Economic Relations," Special Report, January 2017. 

Noura Al Saud and Mashael Al-Shalan, "A New Price Era in a Time of Climate Action: Towards a Resilient and Responsive Saudi Economy," Commentary, January 2016.

Noura Al Saud, "Addressing Claims on Saudi Arabia's Oil Market Motivations," Commentary, October 2015.

Activities

Lecture: Steffen Hertog (London School of Economics), "What Would it Take to Transform Saudi Arabia into a Post-Oil Economy?," 7 November 2018. 

Presentation: Faris Al-Sulayman, "Sino-GCC Economic Cooperation in the Era of Renewable Energy," Second International Seminar on Belt and Road Initiative and Energy Connectivity & Innovation, Beijing, October 2018. 

Presentations: World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies; Makio Yamada, “Post- or Neoclassical?: Vision and the Future of Rentierism”; Faris Al-Sulayman, “State-Business Relations in a Transforming Saudi Economy: Opportunities and Challenges”; Mark C. Thompson, “Redefining the Saudi ‘Distributional’ System: Domestic Stakeholders and Public Expectations in a Low-Oil Price Era," University of Seville, 18 July 2018. 

Presentations: Faris Al-Sulayman, Chatham House workshops, (a) London, 9 April; (b) Amsterdam, 2 May 2018.

Lecture: Steffen Hertog (London School of Economics), "Can We Saudize the Labor Market without Damaging the Private Sector?," 12 December 2017.

Workshop: "Vision 2030: Opportunities and Challenges," Brussels, 1 December 2017 (co-hosted with European Council on Foreign Relations).

Book Launch: Mark C. Thompson & Neil Quilliam, "Policy-Making in the GCC: State, Citizens and Institutions," 8 November 2017.

Lecture: Mark C. Thompson, "Being Young Male, and Saudi: Identity and Politics in a Globalized Kingdom," 20 April 2017.

Lecture: Makio Yamada, "The Political Economy of East Asia-Saudi Arabia Relations," University of Hong Kong, 13 March 2017 (in collaboration with Asian Studies Unit).

Lecture: Steffen Hertog (London School of Economics), "Why Are Gulf Rulers So Generous to Their Populations?: Historical Reasons and Current Consequences," 17 May 2016.

Lecture: Jason Bordoff (Columbia University), "Oil Price Collapse and Changing Energy Landscape: US Perspectives and Implications for Saudi Arabia," 13 April 2016.