Intercultural teaching in the Arab Gulf region: Making a case for paedagogy that takes into account the epistemic context and the scholastic traditions of Muslim students

Abstract

Since its appearance in the 1960s as an independent academic discipline, intercultural teaching in the field of languages has enjoyed great success. This is in some way connected to the dominance of European languages in international communication (notably in the fields of education and research, business and finance, sport and entertainment, etc.). European languages (e.g., English and French) are taught in all corners of the globe and considerable (interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary) research is conducted to improve the teaching of these languages. However, in the Arab-Muslim context of the Gulf countries, the implementation of intercultural teaching theories often finds itself at odds with local cultures and values because these theories can be perceived as a subtle medium for the expansion of Western socio-cultural values and lifestyles. The main reason for this is that these theories are developed, designed, and destined primarily for students from a liberal and secular background. Teaching European languages and cultures to Arab-Muslim students of the Gulf highlights the difficulties involved in the implementation of intercultural teaching. This article gives an overview of intercultural teaching and analyses the challenges it faces. It also makes a case for a paedagogy that takes into account the epistemic context and the scholastic traditions of the Muslim students living and socialising in the Gulf countries.