THE REFUSAL OF WESTERN EDUCATION

The ’Rationale’ for Refusing Western Education Education for All is peculiarly Western. There has been hardly any attention to the growth of different ideologies and, in particular, Islam, ranging from the demand of... [ view full abstract ]

The ’Rationale’ for Refusing Western Education
Education for All is peculiarly Western. There has been hardly any attention to the growth of different ideologies and, in particular, Islam, ranging from the demand of Muslim parents that there be some recognition of their religion in the school curricula to fringes of Islam (such as Boko Harem and ISIl/ISIS/Daesh) which completely refuse the notion of Western education. The latter are the focus here.
One essential factor in the current Islamic revival has to do with Islam’s crisis of identity, especially in face of the West’s overwhelming economic and cultural success in contrast to the relative economic, cultural, human rights failures of the post-independence regimes in the Islamic world. These failures have led to an increase of frustration, envy of the West, and an exaggerated emphasis on their Islamic identity, with calls for “a return to the pure authentic Islam of the Prophet …, a rejection and elimination of the accretions and innovations that had debased and corrupted the faith and enfeebled the Islamic society …" In the extreme version (jihadism) this includes converting unbelievers by force.
The paper discuses:
• the origins of Boko Haram and of Islamic State showing how their rationale for the rejection of Western schooling can be linked to those texts; and
• why secularism has not grown through the provision of Western style education in state funded schools, and how universities are not, in general, producing students able to think for themselves, or capable of self-criticism.

The failure of the modern state and of ‘western’ education in the Arab word with specific reference to Pakistan The modern state has mostly failed in the Islamic world: "The history of the modern Arab world – with all... [ view full abstract ]

The failure of the modern state and of ‘western’ education in the Arab word with specific reference to Pakistan

The modern state has mostly failed in the Islamic world: "The history of the modern Arab world – with all its political failures, its human rights abuses, its stunning military incompetence, its decreasing production, the fact that alone of all modern peoples we [the Arabs] have receded in democratic and technological and scientific development – is disfigured by a whole series of out-moded and discredited ideas, … " (Said, ). This failure has been very ably exploited by the Islamists to increase their power and prestige, which has led, in turn, to mounting demands for increasing Islamization of society; and the increasing salience of Islamic perspectives on the globalization of ‘western’ education. The authoritarian, non-democratic nature of the states is an impediment to taking education seriously. The main focus of the paper will be on Pakistan and their opposition to what is seen as western education, in particular for the girls. I can trace the growth of anti-western attitude cin the society, of which the Taliban are the most vociferous manifestation. But, it is also important to explore what exactly the opposition to the West means as such movements are very happy to work with selected elements of the western culture and technology. A focus on Pakistan also provides an entry to discuss the role of the 1980s Afghan War which was probably the transformative moment for Jihadism.

Implications for Arab States and for 'Western' Education The previous two papers raise three very big issues: 1. How can Arab States move away from absolute rule towards a functioning democracy 2. To consider whether or not we... [ view full abstract ]

Implications for Arab States and for 'Western' Education
The previous two papers raise three very big issues:
1. How can Arab States move away from absolute rule towards a functioning democracy
2. To consider whether or not we need to modify our curricula / pedagogy in order that it cannot be seen as ’colonialist’; and if necessary take appropriate action.
3. To understand how college or university educated students in Western countries can negate their liberal education and become sufficiently ‘radicalised’ to become jihadists.
The first – whilst extremely important - is not a relevant topic for an educational conference. The second raises the kind of issues that were considered when curricula were considered for their gender bias and will require detailed examination of texts and close examination of the pedagogical assumptions and precepts and how those ‘fit’ with Islam; and probably best carried out in extensor with scholars in the ‘at-risk’ states. The third is also a sensitive issue but is a necessary complement to any official attempts to ‘clamp down’ on radicalisation in the university club and societies. In this paper the specific focus will be on the processes involved in the ‘radicalisation’ of those who have been college/university – Western – educated including psycho-social perspectives in addition to the usual attempts at explanation.

Despite being a major (military) 'concern' of Western politicians, the fact that the central ideological planks of the jihadist extreme Islamic movements is the refusal 'Western' education and culture has been almost entirely... [ view full abstract ]

Despite being a major (military) 'concern' of Western politicians, the fact that the central ideological planks of the jihadist extreme Islamic movements is the refusal 'Western' education and culture has been almost entirely ignored. For example at the recent CIES2015, with more than 2,000 presentations and several on education in conflict areas or education in emergencies, there was not a single mention of Boko Haram's clear refusal of the oppressive colonial nature of Western education or of Daesh's destruction of cultural artefacts.

Yet this situation should pose serious questions for both academics about ideology, and for educational policy makers about how to pursue Education For All; parodying the latter situation, one should perhaps rename the GPE as the (Nearly) Global Partnership for (Western) Education.

This symposium represents possibly a first attempt to provide an overview of the issues: what is their 'rationale'; how is Western education perceived in Muslim dominated states; and what can we as academics and advisors to policy-makers do about it.

Our presentations will be short allowing maximum time for discussion of these very important issues.