Malise Ruthven
Scholar and author of Unholy Kingdom: Religion, Corruption, and Violence in Saudi Arabia, interviewed here about Saudi history, Wahhabism, regional politics, and the kingdom's domestic dynamics.
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Mar 7, 2026 • 2h 8min
Radio War Nerd EP 587 — Saudi Arabia, feat. Malise Ruthven + Iran War Update, feat. Annibale
Malise Ruthven, scholar and author of Unholy Kingdom, explains Saudi history and Wahhabism in compact, clear terms. He discusses Saudi vulnerabilities like oil and desalination, the MBS–MBZ rivalry, and China's role in Saudi–Iran rapprochement. Short takes on Saudi domestic contradictions, the export of conservative Islam, and how Khashoggi reshaped Riyadh's global image.
