Social Perceptions in Yemen: Fragmented Power and Everyday Survival

Abstract Yemen's protracted civil war has fractured governance, undermined education, and deepened social vulnerability. This study examines how ordinary Yemenis perceive power, precarity, and education in this context of crisis. An Arabic‐language survey of 50 participants across Sanaa, Aden, Marib, and Hadramout combined structured items with open‐ended responses in a convergent mixed‐methods design. Findings show that the most decisive sources of power were perceived to be economic resources and political authority, while education and professional careers carried less weight. Displacement was widely linked to pressure on services, rising rents, and job scarcity. Education emerged as one of the most severely disrupted sectors, including unpaid salaries, institutional breakdown, and student disengagement. The survey results highlight two concrete policy entry points. First, stabilizing teacher livelihoods and restoring school functionality can help counter educational collapse. Second, strengthening regulatory frameworks for basic services and labor markets can reduce the vulnerabilities exacerbated by displacement. While donor support remains important in the short term, sustainable recovery entails equitable governance, allowing Yemen to mobilize its natural resources—oil, gas, agriculture, and fisheries—to rebuild institutions and reduce external dependency.