Culture, Identity, and Islamic Schooling: A Philosophical Approach [Paperback]

In light of the growing phenomenon of Islamic schools in the United States and Europe, this compelling study outlines whether these schools share similar traits with other religious schools, while posing new challenges to education policy. Merry elaborates an ideal type of islamic philosophy of education in order to examine the specific challenges that Islamic schools face, comparing the different educational realities facing Muslim Populations in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States.Introduction The Politics of Islamic Schooling: A Comparative Look Islamic Education Between the Ideal and the Real Educating for Cultural Coherence The Well-being of Children and the Limits of Paternalism For the Sake of the Child: Religious Schools and Accountability The Future of Islamic Schools

There is much to admire in this book. Merry is a very skilful academic writer and he argues in a logical and engaging manner, incorporating extensive and interesting footnotes. This is an important book and a significant contribution to scholarship. It is highly recommended. -- Stephen J. McKinney, University of Glasgow

Especially since 9/11, the West has experienced a desperate need to better understand the Islamic world. In this balanced but critical study, Michael S. Merry tackles the highly controversial issue of identity formation and the education of Muslim children in non-Muslim or even anti-Muslim cultures. In accessible language, Merry articulates the philosophical and political underpinnings of Islamic schooling and then confronts these with the empirical practices of the US, the Netherlands, and Belgium. He not only presents a fully substantiated analysis of the pros and cons of Islamic schooling but also places this analysis within the wider context of the demands and rights of parents, the position of the child, religious education in general, and the obligations of the democratic state for the future of its children. This thought-provoking l“3