Lifeworlds And Change In Palestinian Education

"This timely volume critically assesses the state of education in Palestine, reframing the discourse on Israel-Palestine through the lens of education, and arguing for a paradigm shift in the way education in the region is studied, managed, and experienced. Foregrounding the voices, commentaries, and reflections of Palestinians as well as touching on differing elements of educational experience that define Palestinian identities, the book highlights that educational change in Palestine is inseparable from the need to change the politics and understanding of education in western societies. Chapters introduce the holistic concept of the lifeworld curriculum which proposes the idea that education cannot be conceived solely in relation to physical, educational spaces, but in addition should acknowledge the conceptual spaces of civil society, communities, and the world of work (the basic structures of Palestinian lives), in order to reinforce the idea that circumstances teach. Ultimately challenging western educators to rethink their approaches to education and learning in order to build a stronger global platform for human rights, democratic engagement and justice, this book will be of value to scholars, researchers, and postgraduate students in international and comparative education, multicultural education, and educational change and reform more broadly"--

This timely volume critically assesses the state of education in Palestine, re-framing the discourse on Israel-Palestine through the lens of education and arguing for a paradigm shift in the way education in the region is studied, managed and experienced. Foregrounding the voices, commentaries and reflections of Palestinians as well as touching on differing elements of educational experience that define Palestinian identities, the book highlights that educational change in Palestine is inseparable from the need to change the politics and understanding of education in western societies. Chapters introduce the holistic concept of the lifeworld curriculum which proposes the idea that education cannot be conceived solely in relation to physical, educational spaces but in addition should acknowledge the conceptual spaces of civil society, communities and the world of work (the basic structures of Palestinian lives) in order to reinforce the idea that circumstances teach. Ultimately challenging western educators to rethink their approaches to education and learning in order to build a stronger global platform for human rights, democratic engagement and justice, this book will be of value to scholars, researchers and postgraduate students in international and comparative education, multicultural education and educational change and reform more broadly.

This edited volume scrutinises the Nordic dimension within education and how this notion affects, frames and sets direction for school and education in policy, practice and educational research. The book interrogates what unites and divides Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and analyses how the notion of the Nordic dimension has become conceptualised and institutionalised in different educational settings. Comparative studies of national education policies and practice across these five small North European countries – and Scotland as a case beyond – explore how the Nordic dimension relates to national, regional and transnational collaborations. Further, the book queries the degree to which what are typically considered Nordic approaches to social welfare, gender equality, diversity and international outlook have, in actual fact, affected education. Ultimately, the book explores the realities and myths associated with the idea of the Nordic dimension, and in relation to the wider context of integration within the European region. The book will be of interest to researchers, scholars and postgraduate students working in international and comparative education; education policy and politics; teaching and learning; and in European cultural studies.

Examining the changing meaning of 'place' in women's lives over time and across space, this book questions how women face, negotiate and shape the social space of their environment.

Unparalleled in its scope, this book provides a detailed longitudinal analysis of indigenous Palestinian education in Israel since the establishment of the state. Taking a comparative approach, Majid Al-Haj juxtaposes the Arab and Hebrew education systems in Israel, from early childhood through higher education, looking at their administration, resources, curriculum content, and outcomes. Significantly, the book represents the first systematic examination of an authentic model for social change and educational empowerment initiated by Palestinian Arabs in Israel through a civil society organization. Blending quantitative and qualitative methods, Al-Haj addresses widely debated theoretical questions about the role of education among indigenous minorities and disadvantaged groups in the context of cultural hegemony and inequalities, on the one hand, and self-empowerment and social change, on the other. Lastly, Al-Haj offers a review of the pre-state period and considers the impact of the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict on the goals, substance, and narratives of Arab and Hebrew education.

Education, Empowerment, and Control is about the education of the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel from the establishment of the state of Israel to the present. Using a comparative approach, the study throughout juxtaposes Arab and Hebrew educational systems in terms of administration, resources, curricula contents, and returns. Developments in education are analyzed in conjunction with wide demographic, economic, and sociopolitical changes. Al-Haj explores the expectations of the Palestinian community on the one hand and dominant groups on the other, showing that whereas Palestinians have seen education as a source of empowerment, government groups have seen it as a mechanism of social control. The book also sheds light on the wider issue of education and social change among developing minorities in the postcolonial era. Al-Haj examines modernization, underdevelopment, and control in order to delineate the role education plays among a national minority that is marginalized at the group level and denied access to the national opportunity structure.

There are 1.3 million Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, who encompass 19.4% of the country's total population. There are another 3, 762, 005 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip whose educational experiences and opportunities continue to be affected by Israeli occupation. Researchers have documented institutionalized political, economic, and social discrimination, as well as the Palestinian minority's lower levels of income, educational opportunity, employment, property ownership, and community infrastructure and development. The state-run educational system, which is subdivided into Jewish and Arab systems, has been essential in creating and maintaining these gaps. The April 2006 issue of American Behavioral Scientist explores the role of Palestinian Arab education as a public policy tool and reviews key issues regarding how education shapes culture, individual and communal development, social stratification, economics, and politics in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories. The challenging articles in this provocative issue examine a far-reaching array of contentious topics, including: The historical context of Palestinian Arab education (Abu-Saad and Champagne) Inequalities in public funding, budget allocation, curriculum, and lack of meaningful Palestinian involvement in the decision making processes that have led to considerable gaps between the qualitative level of Palestinian and Jewish education, and how the Israeli Supreme Court is upholding this "unequal" educational opportunities standard. (Jabareen) Despite Arab communities having a generally lower socio-economic status than their counterparts, there are significantly fewer of the unique special support programs designed for "disadvantaged" students. The various nuances, implications, and questions used to explore the sources of inequality and how to effect social change are analyzed using three generations of critical feminist thought. (Golan-Agnan) The challenges of maintaining identity and culture within a mainstream school system that emphasizes values and education of the national community to the exclusion of other perspectives (Abu-Saad) The effect of the political legacy of oppression, occupation, and de-humanization on Palestinian youth living under Israeli occupation (Shalhoub-Kevorkian) The role of Palestinian universities as a place where Palestinians can articulate their national identity, engage in resistance to Israeli occupation, and build the nation of Palestine. (Bruhn) Whether one agrees or not with the controversial views expressed in this exceptional issue, these six articles highlight key educational issues that must be faced, debated, and grappled with in order to build the foundations of a lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis This issue should be in the library of everyone interested in Middle East Studies, International Studies, International Politics, International Law, Human Rights, Educational Policy, Sociology of Education, and Social Change.

Recent efforts to solve the problems of education—created by neoliberalism in and out of higher education—have centred on the use of technology that promises efficiency, progress tracking, and automation. The editors of this volume argue that using technology in this way reduces learning to a transaction. They ask administrators, instructors, and learning designers to reflect on our relationship with these tools and explore how to cultivate a pedagogy of care in an online environment. With an eye towards identifying different and better possibilities, this collection investigates previously under-examined concepts in the field of digital pedagogy such as shared learning and trust, critical consciousness, change, and hope.