If you’ve ever had doubts that Saudi Arabian society is one based on shame and honor, this Saudi Gazette/Okaz article should put an end to them. The women’s section at Taif University is using ‘naming and shaming’ to gets its students to better behave. It works, but many question whether the price is too high. Parent in particular are upset that being put on a published list might have detrimental effects on their daughters’ future lives.

As I’m not there, I don’t know if the university is engaged in overkill or not. It certainly knows which buttons to push to change behavior, however.

Taif University naughty girl blacklist ‘settling scores and ruining reputations’
Suhah Al-Harithy

TAIF – Some women students at Taif University face being made public examples after the university recently initiated on its campus a “blacklist” scheme publicizing the names of “ill-disciplined” students.

The university president, Abdulillah Banaja, said that the move was helping “deter female students from any odd behavior” and that public naming would “make them refrain from any inappropriate conduct but is in no way meant to defame them”.

“The introduction of the list has been effective in lowering the number of violating students compared to last year,” Banaja said, without elaborating on what those violations might entail.

Banaja’s comments were prompted by criticism from parents who have reportedly been unanimous in their condemnation of the scheme, saying it has “no educational value” and “only serves to affect the reputation of girls among their peers and others”.
…