Journal of Education and Human Development

Ideologies in the Middle East: Is It Conservatism, Modernism, or Liberalism
Noha Ireiqat

Abstract
There is a great confusion on whether countries of the Middle East are considered conservative, moderate, or liberal countries. The first assumption that other countries, such as Europe and the United States, have is that Middle Eastern countries are conservative. This assumption is made because most of the Middle Eastern countries follow the Islamic principles and guidelines. The ignorance of the principles of Islam and the misunderstanding of Muslims’ beliefs among the American and European general public lead to the misinterpretation of the ideologies that exist in the Middle East countries. The surprise is that there are three ideologies that exist and work together in the Middle East because there is a necessity of each one of them. This paper will discuss: (1) the differences between these ideologies in the purpose of education. (2) The impact of these ideologies in the education system in the Middle East. (3) The combination of all three ideologies in the contemporary Muslim life. A balance between the three ideologies in Islam will be seen.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v4n4a1