Economics Research Seminar – Dr Sarah Najm

Date:19 March 2025 |

Time:13:30 - 14:30

Location:Newcastle University Business School (NUBS), Room 4.23

Registration ending soon

Guest speakers

The Economics research group welcomes Dr Sarah Najm.

She will present her work, entitled "Inequality Beliefs in Saudi Arabia."

About the speaker

Sarah Najm is a NUAcT Fellow in Economics of Creative Industries at Newcastle University Business School. She explores the social value of the arts and wellbeing in lower-income households. She is also involved in developing a longitudinal business panel survey at the Creative PEC

Her broader research interests include sustainability issues and the role of institutions in generating environmental, social, and fiscal inequalities.

Sarah holds an MSc in Economics from the University of York, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Reading where she is a Visiting Fellow leading a study on inequality beliefs.

Her background and publication pipeline employ global and cross-country analysis to better understand the role of institutions in shaping environmental outcomes. These broadly draw on the political economy of institutions in relation to sustainability.

Research abstract

This study examines beliefs about tolerance of inequality in Saudi Arabia, an oil-based economy with high inequality levels. Using an online survey distributed across national universities in 2022-2023, we explore three dimensions of inequality tolerance:

Beliefs about the necessity of large income differences as incentives
Attitudes toward inequalities within different social groups
Views on the role of family wealth in social mobility (structural inequality)

We analyse sociodemographic factors and beliefs regarding meritocracy and social class. Our findings show that meritocratic beliefs strongly shape tolerance of inequality. Furthermore, perceptions of social position—whether based on class, income, or financial satisfaction—reinforce meritocratic attitudes.

These results highlight the role of social institutions in shaping inequality beliefs and provide insights into economic perceptions in Saudi Arabia.