Work

Gender, higher education, and development: The experience for educationalists at Gaza’s universities

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This paper explores the gender experiences of educationalists at two of Gaza’s universities. As part of my PhD research at the University of Cambridge (2012–2017), I conducted inductive qualitative research, including 36 semi-structured interviews with academic staff and students from Gaza. The research draws on Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed and Bourdieu’s work on symbolic violence. The findings show that Gaza’s universities – influenced by decades of occupation, factional ideologies and intersecting forces – seem to suffer from contradictory impulses and practices regarding gender. Although Gaza's universities have played a role in the empowerment of female students and the academic staff, some of their practices nonetheless appeared to reinforce societal gender inequalities. This paper documents their pre-October 2023 history and calls for rethinking gender norms, and policies in higher education in Gaza. Once Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza ends, it provides insights for rebuilding a more equitable Palestinian university system.

Source: Research in Comparative and International Education

DOI: 10.1177/17454999251379403

Author: Mona Jebril

Institution: University of Cambridge

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Sexuality, and Education

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities, Quality education, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650