Modern education and Arab nationalism in Kuwait, 1911-1961
This dissertation aims to examine the role of modern education in the production of an Arab nationalist identity in Kuwait, a process that played out on multiple levels. Firstly, within Kuwait, modern schools were founded starting in 1911 with the goal of emulating the educational systems of the more developed Arab countries. Kuwaiti educational administrators relied on their ties to Arab nationalist networks to obtain assistance from educators, officials, and activists throughout the region. Kuwait's schools became increasingly ~Arabized~ as they imported teachers and curriculums from Arab states, most notably Palestine, Iraq, and Egypt. Secondly, as domestic education improved, Kuwaitis increasingly pursued secondary and tertiary study in Arab countries, thus becoming integrated into Pan-Arab cultural and political networks. This became a broad phenomenon in the 1940s when oil wealth allowed for an extensive government scholarship program. Combined with the expansion of education locally, this led to the creation of a new social stratum defined by modern education, the effendiyya (known locally as the muthaqqafin). In the 1950s, this group led the Arab nationalist opposition movement in Kuwait, while at
Al-Rashoud, Talal
Modern education and Arab nationalism in Kuwait, 1911-1961. This dissertation aims to examine the role of modern education in the production of an Arab nationalist identity in Kuwait, a process that played out on multiple levels. Firstly, within Kuwait, modern schools were founded starting in 1911 with the goal of emulating the educational systems of the more developed Arab countries. Kuwaiti educational administrators relied on their ties to Arab nationalist networks to obtain assistance from educators, officials, and activists throughout the region. Kuwait's schools became increasingly ~Arabized~ as they imported teachers and curriculums from Arab states, most notably Palestine, Iraq, and Egypt. Secondly, as domestic education improved, Kuwaitis increasingly pursued secondary and tertiary study in Arab countries, thus becoming integrated into Pan-Arab cultural and political networks. This became a broad phenomenon in the 1940s when oil wealth allowed for an extensive government scholarship program. Combined with the expansion of education locally, this led to the creation of a new social stratum defined by modern education, the effendiyya (known locally as the muthaqqafin). In the 1950s, this group led the Arab nationalist opposition movement in Kuwait, while at
modern education arab nationalism kuwait aim_examine role modern education production arab nationalist identity kuwait process play multiple_level firstly within kuwait modern school found start goal emulate educational_system develop arab country kuwaiti educational administrator rely tie arab nationalist network obtain assistance educator official activist throughout_region kuwait school_become increasingly import teacher curriculum arab state notably palestine iraq egypt secondly domestic education improve increasingly pursue secondary tertiary study arab country thus become integrate pan arab cultural_political network become broad phenomenon oil wealth allow extensive government scholarship program combined expansion education locally lead_creation new social_stratum define modern education know locally group lead arab nationalist opposition movement kuwait