Teaching and Moral Tradition in Saudi Arabia: A Paradigm of Struggle or Pathway Towards Globalization?

Abstract

Identity involves the individual's image of self and its translation into action (Sachs, 2001). Developing a professional identity is problematic when it involves a paradigm struggle, since the actions that the professional needs to take become unclear. This paper describes how English teachers in Saudi Arabia experience a complex conflict between Western and Eastern identities. They are required as English teachers to project a positive view of English, which is regarded by many in the region as a vessel for Western or foreign ideologies (Reddy, 1979). They have been educated in a conservative moral tradition based on a clearly-defined role as Islamic educators and purveyors of Saudi nationalism. Yet as English teachers educated at Western universities, they have been exposed to a variety of western ideologies. This paper explores their relationship to institution, traditional identity and their classroom choices, providing suggestions on how to reconcile 'globalised' and Islamic moral identities.