Reforming Arab Reason

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 19-42
Author(s):  
Khalid Shibib
Keyword(s):  
Arab World ◽  
Legal Reasoning ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Religious Knowledge ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Present Information ◽  
Cultural Construct ◽  
Political Economic

As a humanitarian worker who was professionally involved for decades in crisis- and war-shaken countries, the author strove to understand the political, socioeconomic, and cultural factors contributing to conflicts. This contextualization, with a focus on Arab countries, confirmed what other thinkers found: the majority of political, economic, social, cultural, religious, and finally humanitarian crises in the Arab world are man-made and can be attributed to both extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Central to the latter appears to be a shared cultural construct that can be termed “Arab reason.” This essay tries to present information on various aspects of the crisis; to understand why reform efforts come so late and why are they are more difficult for Arabs than for other Muslims. It continues by looking at the knowledge systems that govern Arab reason and their evolution, including the decisive role of the religious knowledge system. From there, it proposes some reform ideas including a renewed legal reasoning process with the goal of a future-oriented, knowledge-based, and inclusive Arab Islamic vision. A pragmatic way forward could be an additional unifying eighth legal school (madhhab/madhāhib) to counter sectarian conflicts and violence. This essay is built on a targeted literature search and is not a comprehensive review of the growing literature generated by distinguished thinkers on various aspects of Arab Islamic identity.

ICT and Gender Inequality in the Middle East

2011 ◽  
pp. 772-779
Author(s):  
Ahmed El Gody
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Arab Population ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Ict Adoption ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Political Economic

Information communication technologies (ICT) have become an effective force for accelerating political, economic, and social development, decreasing poverty, and fostering trade and knowledge; however the uneven distribution, usage, and implementation of ICT resulted in what is known as the “digital divide” between those who have access to and utilization of information resources and those who do not (Internet.com, 2004). The Middle East, with the exception of Israel, is the least ICT connected area worldwide with only 1.4% of the global share (less than half of the world average of 5.2%). ICT adoption and access in the Arab world are far from adequate; only 6% of the Arab world population uses the Internet, while the penetration rate of personal computers is 2.4%, and less than 4 % of the Arab population has access to a ground telephone line (Ajeeb, 2006; NUA, 2005). The trend of globalization forced Arab countries to realize the power of ICT as one of the most important factors in achieving sustainable growth. During the past decade, genuine efforts have been implemented by Arab governments to utilize ICT; as of May 2005, every country in the Arab world (as seen in Table 1)—except Iraq and Libya—has a clear strategy or at least a plan for promoting ICT (Dutta & Coury, 2003). In her book, Technology Strategies for Putting Arab Countries on the Cyber Map, Reem Hunaidi (2002) stated that despite Arab world efforts to utilize ICT, Arabs are still far from bridging the digital divide. Hunaidi stated that the Arab world is still scoring low on the Digital Access Index (as seen in Table 2), adding that bridging the digital divide requires commitment from all development stakeholders, not only Arab governments. The Hunaidi study concluded that development should start within the Arab society through liberating Arab human capabilities, especially those of women questioning how a society can compete in an increasingly globalized world if half of its people remain marginalized (Hunaidi, 2002). The UNDP 2004 report on human development in the Arab world added to Hunaidi’s question stating that the first step in human ICT development is to bridge the gender divide within the Arab world and make use of the latent 50% of the Arab population. The Arab world has the lowest Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) worldwide next to Sub-Saharan Africa. Nancy Hafkin and Nancy Tagger (2001), in their study “Gender, Information Technology, and Developing Countries”, stated that the degree of gender bias can be vividly seen across the Arab region. Figures indicate that Arab users constitute 4% of Internet users in comparison to 22% of users in Asia, 25% in Europe, 38% in Latin America, and 50% in the United States. Hafkin and Tagger (2001) concluded that several challenges of socio-cultural, political, economic, and education disparities need to be addressed towards advancing Arab women’s active participation in the new networked information society.

ICT and Gender Inequality in the Middle East

2008 ◽  
pp. 3260-3273
Author(s):  
Ahmed El Gody
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Arab Population ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Ict Adoption ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Political Economic

Information communication technologies (ICT) have become an effective force for accelerating political, economic, and social development, decreasing poverty, and fostering trade and knowledge; however the uneven distribution, usage, and implementation of ICT resulted in what is known as the “digital divide” between those who have access to and utilization of information resources and those who do not (Internet.com, 2004). The Middle East, with the exception of Israel, is the least ICT connected area worldwide with only 1.4% of the global share (less than half of the world average of 5.2%). ICT adoption and access in the Arab world are far from adequate; only 6% of the Arab world population uses the Internet, while the penetration rate of personal computers is 2.4%, and less than 4 % of the Arab population has access to a ground telephone line (Ajeeb, 2006; NUA, 2005). The trend of globalization forced Arab countries to realize the power of ICT as one of the most important factors in achieving sustainable growth. During the past decade, genuine efforts have been implemented by Arab governments to utilize ICT; as of May 2005, every country in the Arab world (as seen in Table 1)—except Iraq and Libya—has a clear strategy or at least a plan for promoting ICT (Dutta & Coury, 2003). In her book, Technology Strategies for Putting Arab Countries on the Cyber Map, Reem Hunaidi (2002) stated that despite Arab world efforts to utilize ICT, Arabs are still far from bridging the digital divide. Hunaidi stated that the Arab world is still scoring low on the Digital Access Index (as seen in Table 2), adding that bridging the digital divide requires commitment from all development stakeholders, not only Arab governments. The Hunaidi study concluded that development should start within the Arab society through liberating Arab human capabilities, especially those of women questioning how a society can compete in an increasingly globalized world if half of its people remain marginalized (Hunaidi, 2002). The UNDP 2004 report on human development in the Arab world added to Hunaidi’s question stating that the first step in human ICT development is to bridge the gender divide within the Arab world and make use of the latent 50% of the Arab population. The Arab world has the lowest Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) worldwide next to Sub-Saharan Africa. Nancy Hafkin and Nancy Tagger (2001), in their study “Gender, Information Technology, and Developing Countries”, stated that the degree of gender bias can be vividly seen across the Arab region. Figures indicate that Arab users constitute 4% of Internet users in comparison to 22% of users in Asia, 25% in Europe, 38% in Latin America, and 50% in the United States. Hafkin and Tagger (2001) concluded that several challenges of socio-cultural, political, economic, and education disparities need to be addressed towards advancing Arab women’s active participation in the new networked information society.

A Perspective on ICT Diffusion in the Arab Region

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salam Abdallah ◽  
Fayez Albadri
Keyword(s):  
Social Development ◽  
Communication Technology ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Arab Region ◽  
Extant Literature ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Major Development ◽  
Information And Communication

Interest in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Arab world has started to take different strides for many reasons. This growing endorsement of ICT is primarily attributed to economic and social development factors, and is driven by the aim to transform Arab society to a knowledge based society. Such an endeavor could be successfully achieved only through effective creation, adoption and innovation of the technology. This chapter examines the extant literature on ICT in the Arab world in order to glean the level of ICT investment and acceptance, and to attempt to understand the interplay of cultural practices and values on the successful implementations of ICT initiatives. The Arab countries are undergoing major development that is expected to culminate in tangible growth in many areas, attract the attention and interest of both businesses and researchers. This chapter also sets the scene and lays the foundation for the ICT discussions and investigations in the rest of the chapters of the textbook.

scholarly journals Implementation of CEDAW in the Arab Countries: Analysis of Reservations

1970 ◽  
pp. 28-31
Author(s):  
Lamis Nasser
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Present State ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Arab Women ◽  
Distinct Entity ◽  
World Today ◽  
Political Economic

The Arab world today consists of 22 countries all of which are members of the League of Arab States. These countries are Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan , Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. These countries share a common religion, language, hi story, and cultural heritage as a united distinct entity. The present state of Arab women is best understood and evaluated in light of the current demographic, political, economic, social, and religious situation of the region.

A Conceptual Model of National Skills Formation for Knowledge-based Economic Development in the Arab World

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wes Schwalje
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Market Mechanisms ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Multidisciplinary Perspective ◽  
Formation Systems ◽  
Systemic View

The movement of many Arab countries toward knowledge-based economic development requires the transition to more effective skills formation systems. This paper proposes an institutionalist approach to national skills development systems in the advancement toward knowledge-based economic development. There is currently no accepted general framework to analyze national skills development systems, and this has resulted in countries adopting reactive approaches to skills development problems. The conceptual framework advanced is an integrated, systemic view of national skills formation systems guided by government intervention in light of rampant failures of skills formation approaches that rely exclusively upon market mechanisms. The framework contributes to the skills formation literature by reviewing, synthesizing, and building on the literature from a multidisciplinary perspective. It considers the relevant institutions and interests of key stakeholders as highly interrelated in the context of knowledge-based economic development and achievement of accompanying economic, political, and social objectives in the Arab World. Keywords: skills formation, knowledge economy, skills development policy, economic development, lifelong learning, Arab World. تتطلب حركة العديد من الدول العربية نحو التنمية الاقتصادية القائمة على المعرفة الانتقال إلى أنظمة

scholarly journals US policy toward the political movement in the Arab countries Egypt a model

2019 ◽  
pp. 249-272
Author(s):  
م.د.رنا علي خلف
Keyword(s):  
Arab World ◽  
International System ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Political Movement ◽  
Military Conflict ◽  
Major Powers ◽  
The Will ◽  
The Masses ◽  
Military Relations ◽  
Political Economic

The whole world and the Arab world, especially an important part of this international system, is undergoing a radical transformation at all levels. This mosaic of political, economic, social and military relations and alliances, whether based on the special interests of the major Powers or on the basis of mutual interests, The major transformations to social, economic, political and military conflict and these transformations still bear more surprises, at all levels, nothing remains constant, all changed, relations changed and alliances changed and loyalties fell and the principles of the M changed and the spectacular imperial economies collapsed and the will of the masses was no longer fixed.

Nasser's Gamble

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Ferris
Keyword(s):  
Cold War ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Original Material ◽  
Egyptian Revolution ◽  
Arab Nationalism ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
The Cold War ◽  
The Arab Spring

This book draws on declassified documents from six countries and original material in Arabic, German, Hebrew, and Russian to present a new understanding of Egypt's disastrous five-year intervention in Yemen, which Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser later referred to as “my Vietnam.” The book argues that Nasser's attempt to export the Egyptian revolution to Yemen played a decisive role in destabilizing Egypt's relations with the Cold War powers, tarnishing its image in the Arab world, ruining its economy, and driving its rulers to instigate the fatal series of missteps that led to war with Israel in 1967. Viewing the Six Day War as an unintended consequence of the Saudi–Egyptian struggle over Yemen, the book demonstrates that the most important Cold War conflict in the Middle East was not the clash between Israel and its neighbors. It was the inter-Arab struggle between monarchies and republics over power and legitimacy. Egypt's defeat in the “Arab Cold War” set the stage for the rise of Saudi Arabia and political Islam. Bold and provocative, this book brings to life a critical phase in the modern history of the Middle East. Its compelling analysis of Egypt's fall from power in the 1960s offers new insights into the decline of Arab nationalism, exposing the deep historical roots of the Arab Spring of 2011.

THE SUBJECT FIELD OF INSTITUTIONAL EDUCATION: THE SENSE AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE

2020 ◽  
pp. 25-38
Author(s):  
Irina Mordous
Keyword(s):  
Decisive Role ◽  
Subject Field ◽  
National Education ◽  
Progressive Development ◽  
Separate Area ◽  
Economic Transformations ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Political Economic

The development of modern civilization attests to its decisive role in the progressive development of institutions. They identified the difference between Western civilization and the rest of the world. Confirmation of the institutional advantages of the West was its early industrialization. The genesis and formation of institutionalism in its ideological and conceptualmethodological orientation occurs as a process alternative to neoclassic in the context of world heterodoxia, which quickly spread in social science. Highlighting institutional education as a separate area of sociocultural activity is determined by the factor of differentiation of institutional theory as a whole. A feature of institutional education is its orientation toward the individual and his/her transformation into a personality. The content of institutional education is revealed through the analysis of the institution, which includes a set of established customs, traditions, ways of thinking, behavioral stereotypes of individuals and social groups. The dynamics of socio-political, economic transformations in Ukraine requires a review of the foundations of national education and determination of the prospects for its development in the 21st century in the context of institutionalism.

Western Scholarship and the Islamic Resurgence in the Arab World

1993 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Mohamed Karbal
Keyword(s):  
Arab World ◽  
Public Organizations ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Islamic Fundamentalism ◽  
Armed Struggle ◽  
Islamic Movement ◽  
Party Line ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Islamic Resurgence ◽  
Western Scholarship

During the last two decades, the politics of certain Arab countrieshave been influenced by various Islamic groups. Some of these groupshave expressed their dissatisfaction with the performances of theirgovernments by Using the available political channels to seek change;others have resorted to violence. Armed protests have taken the form ofbombings, assassinations, and mass demonstrations.Suicide attacks and armed struggle took place against Israeli, American,and French forces in Lebanon (1982-83). President Sadat of Egyptwas assassinated in 1981 by Egyptian military pemnnel who were membersof an Islamic movement. Another armed struggle against the Syrianregime was initiated by the Syrian Islamic Front in 1976-82. Numerousdemonsttations against the governments of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisiatook place during the 1980s.Other Muslim groups attempted to participate in the decision-makingprocess in their countries. The Society of Muslim Brothers in Egypt encouragedits prominent members to run for election to the Egyptian Parliament.However, the Society was not considered a legal party accordingto Egyptian law. The Wafd, a legitimate party, allowed the Society ofMuslim Brothers to campaign under their banner. As a result, membersof the Society voted in accordance with their ideological and political beliefsrather than the Wafd party line. In Jordan, the Society of MuslimBrothem campaigned as an independent party during the 1988 electionsand won twenty percent of the seats.Due to the Arab countries’ economic and strategic importance, variousgovemments, scholars, and private and public organizations have paid closeattention to these incidents. In an attempt to understand this phenomenon,academic conventions have been held, books and articles have been published,and gmnts have been awarded for research. Western and Arabscholars have described it with such labels as Islamic fundamentalism,revivalism, awakening, reformism, resurgence , renewal, militancy, or simply ...

Immunogenetics of Celiac Disease: A Focus on Arab Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadin Younes ◽  
Salma Younes ◽  
Ola. A. Alsharabasi ◽  
Mohamed E. El Zowalaty ◽  
Ibrahim Mustafa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Celiac Disease ◽  
Genetic Epidemiology ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Human Leukocyte ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Genetic Profile ◽  
Leukocyte Antigen ◽  
Genetic And Environmental Factors

Celiac Disease (CD) is a complex immunogenic disease mainly triggered by gluten intake in genetically susceptible individuals with a prevalence of 1 in 100-300. CD results from the interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Genetic susceptibility is believed to play a prominent role in the pathogenicity of CD, mainly due to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-related class II genes. Although CD is wellrecognized among Arab populations, there are few studies on the genetic epidemiology and prevalence of CD in the Arab countries. Therefore, the aim of this review was to highlight the importance of studying this disease in the Arab world in the context of a global perspective. Within the few studies published so far, it was found that Arab populations have a distinctive susceptibility genetic profile from other ethnic groups with the DQ2.5 and DQ8 genotypes that are considered the major genotypes that confer susceptibility among Arab patients with CD. Our findings will pave the way to perform further epidemiological studies that will help identify potential therapeutic targets against CD among Arab patients that are diagnosed with CD.

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