Exploring Saudi Women through a Sociocultural Lens: Echoes of Change embarks on a thematic exploration of Saudi women's novels over the past three decades, guided by the genetic structuralist approach pioneered by Lucien Goldmann in the 1960s This book reveals a compelling link between the themes and shared worldviews of literature and the social status and concerns of Saudi women from various strata of society. Against the backdrop of socio-economic, socio-political, and socio-religious factors, these novels serve as profound expressions of the lived experiences and aspirations of Saudi women. In unveiling these literary treasures, Ibrahem K. Almarhaby invites readers on a transformative journey through the rich tapestry of Saudi women's narratives, shedding light on the intersection of individual stories with broader societal transformations.

"Anita Butera provides a unique account of the past and future of Saudi Arabia as told by Saudi women. The story that emerges is one where modernization is not synonymous with Westernization but instead comes from the search for an identity based on the rich history of the country"--

Combining empirical and theoretical approaches from a range of disciplines, Linguistic Identities in the Arab Gulf States examines current issues surrounding language and identity in the Arab Gulf states. Organized in four parts, the book addresses the overarching theme of ‘waves of change’ in relation to language and power, linguistic identities in the media, identities in transition, and language in education. The authors of each chapter are renowned experts in their field and contribute to furthering our understanding of the dynamic, changeable, and socially constructed nature of identities and how identities are often intricately woven into and impacted by local and global developments. Although the book geographically covers Gulf region contexts, many of the concepts and dilemmas discussed are relevant to other highly diverse nations globally. For example, debates surrounding tolerance, diversity, neoliberal ideologies in English-medium instruction (EMI), media representation of language varieties, and sociolinguistic inequalities during coronavirus communication are pertinent to regions outside the Gulf, too. This volume will particularly appeal to students and scholars interested in issues around language and identity, gender, language policy and planning, multilingualism, translingual practice, language in education, and language ideologies.

This book explores the multicultural and non-Western contexts behind the approaches, problems, and issues that arise in research methodologies when used in relation to educational administration and leadership. This volume argues that increasing internationalisation and diversity of the field requires research methods that better reflect the values, cultures, political systems, and conditions of non-Western communities and countries. Discussing the research methods, data collection practices, interpretive approaches, and research ethics that produce more accurate and authentic results, the book looks at a number of theoretical frameworks and epistemological approaches that inform the development of such methodologies. Traditional methods like sharing circles and storytelling are explored, as well as an examination of ‘social space’ in designing methodology aimed at ‘spatial justice’ and an exploration of methods for Indigenous communities in East Asia. A valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and students with an interest in multicultural education, the book will also appeal to academics interested in race, ethics, and educational research methods more broadly.

Healthcare managers, professionals and service users operate in an increasingly complex environment in terms of policy, regulation and governance arrangements. The policy process is becoming pluralised as competing narratives are drawn upon to influence practice. A wide range of contradictory and inconsistent policies are on offer to healthcare stakeholders, which ultimately results in a broad spectrum of responses, adaptations and improvisations throughout the process of policy implementation. The impact on managerial and professional practice is significant: Whilst some voices are suppressed or ignored, the complex nature of contemporary policy contexts can also help local actors exercise their agency and advance their agenda. This edited volume investigates how contemporary policy trends are influencing healthcare systems, organisations and professions and explores the various ways in which policy implementation could be enacted, resisted and reinvented by healthcare managers and professionals on the ground. It sheds light on the complex web of connections that exist between policy development (Part I), its translation into practice (Part II), and the activities of organisational leaders who are trying their best to make sense of – and succeed in – challenging policy contexts (Part III).

This book investigates the relevance of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a theory of motivation, whilst taking into account variances in culture and individual experiences and perspectives. Focussing on higher education, the book responds to the call for providing alternative conceptual models, other than those originating from the Anglo-Saxon world. The authors take a contextual approach and use the case of Saudi Arabia to understand motivation in a collectivist, highly religious and conservative society of the Middle East. Providing empirical findings from a study carried out at two Saudi universities differing in their religious outlook, this book reveals a hierarchy of needs that is significantly different from the theory proposed by Maslow. Religion, culture and gender are explored in detail as the authors investigate the relevance of Maslow’s theory in a region that is of growing interest to policy-makers and practitioners in North America and Europe, offering a truly insightful read to an international audience.