Gender Bias in Bangladeshi School Textbooks: Not Just a Matter of Politics or Growing Influence of Islamists

In this essay, we critically reflect on the ongoing controversy over Islamization of textbooks by a secular government in Bangladesh. Based on a review of the emerging evidence on gender stereotypes in textbook contents, we argue that gender bias was widespread in government-recognized textbooks lon...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The review of faith & international affairs
Authors: Asadullah, Mohammad Niaz 1975- (Author) ; Islam, Kazi Md Mukitul (Author) ; Wahhaj, Zaki (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group 2018
In: The review of faith & international affairs
RelBib Classification:BJ Islam
FD Contextual theology
KBM Asia
NCD Political ethics
ZF Education
Further subjects:B Bangladesh
B Madrasah
B Political Islam
B Islamic schools
B Gender stereotypes
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Description
Summary:In this essay, we critically reflect on the ongoing controversy over Islamization of textbooks by a secular government in Bangladesh. Based on a review of the emerging evidence on gender stereotypes in textbook contents, we argue that gender bias was widespread in government-recognized textbooks long before radical Islamic groups publicly demanded changes to the secular school curriculum. All Bangladeshi school textbooks continue to suffer from a pro-male bias regardless of whether they are based on a secular or religious curriculum. Nonetheless, Bangladesh's experience suggests that politicization of the debate on what children should learn in school can make future reforms much harder to achieve.
ISSN:1931-7743
Contains:Enthalten in: The review of faith & international affairs
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/15570274.2018.1469821