Aspects of Education in the Middle East and North Africa (Oxford Studies in Comparative Education)

The chapters in this volume do not represent the whole of the Middle East and North Africa, as such a collection would have been too large for one volume. Rather, the selection here is intended to present different perspectives on a range of educational issues, relevant to a particular focus or country, or common to a number of countries in the area. There is no overarching theme beyond that which is common to most of the countries in this area; such as modernity versus tradition; the spread of education effecting sociological changes - most pronounced in the rural and tribal areas; the changing fortunes and roles of women; the aspiration and expectation of youth; and the state having become the major player in providing education. These are all shared by most of the countries represented here. Contents Acknowledgements Colin Brock & Lila Zia Levers. Introduction Barbara Freyer Stowasser. The Qur'an and Women's Education: patriarchal interpretations of Sura 4:34 and their unreading by educated Muslim women Serra Kirdar. The Impact of Educational Empowerment on Women in the Arab World Sally Findlow. Women, Higher Education and Social Transformation in the Arab Gulf Andre Elias Mazawi. Besieging the King's Tower? En/Gendering Academic Opportunities in the Gulf Arab States Golnar Mehran. Religious Education of Muslim and Non-Muslim Schoolchildren in the Islamic Republic of Iran Iran Mohammadi-Heuboeck. Aspects of Bilingualism in Iranian Kurdish Schoolchildren Yossi Dahan & Yossi Yonah. Israel's Education System: equality of opportunity - from nation building to neo-liberalism Richard Ratcliffe. The Moment of Education: the politics of education among the Negev Bedouin, Israel Bilal Fouad Barakat. The Struggle for Palestinian National Education Past and Present Abdelkader Ezzaki. Formal Schooling in Morocco: the hopes and challenges of the current educational reform Ayse Kok. Computerising Turkey's Schools Notes on Contributors