Education and the Reverse Gender Divide in the Gulf States : Embracing the Global, Ignoring the Local

Provides a close examination of the relationship between gender and education in the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) and reveals that women’s participation and achievement in education is rapidly outpacing that of men’s. Ridge refers to this situation as a “reverse gender divide” and examines the roots and causes of this imbalance, as well as implications for the future.

In this groundbreaking work, the author provides a close examination of the relationship between gender and education in the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) and reveals that women’s participation and achievement in education is rapidly outpacing that of men’s. Ridge refers to this situation as a “reverse gender divide” and examines the roots and causes of this imbalance, as well as implications for the future. Based on timely material that is largely unavailable to other scholars, the book further describes how GCC countries, in their desire to be perceived as modern nation states, have enacted and embraced education policies that leave no space for local policymakers to acknowledge boys’ deficits and challenges. In addition to the important implications for educational policy and practice, the author also explores wider social and political issues, such as the impact on the workforce and future sustainable development in the region.