Italy and Saudi Arabia are united by numerous and strong ties that have developed over the decades. In 1932, the two countries signed a Treaty of Friendship that constitutes the origin of their bilateral relations. The celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of Saudi-Italian diplomatic relations provide an opportunity to assess the state of these relations, as well as to advance some proposals as to how the two countries’ mutual cooperation and engagement in the regional and international arenas could be strengthened. The steady development of Saudi-Italian relations over the past 80 years has most recently been affected by the accelerated changes taking place in the Mediterranean region as part of the so-called “Arab Spring”. This region represents a priority for both countries and a significant link between them. Both economic imperatives and a geo-strategic rationale lie behind the increasingly frequent calls for a consolidation of bilateral relations between Italy and the countries of the GCC in general, and Saudi Arabia in particular. This book wishes to commemorate the outstanding level of engagement between Italy and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a number of domains. It also aims to advance our knowledge of the most promising areas of cooperation, the challenges facing such cooperation and the prospects for future mutual engagement.

How do indigenous matters inform, irritate and advance postcolonial theologies and postcolonial biblical criticisms? What options emerge from confronting readings of religious, customary, scriptural, political and cultural texts, traditions, leanings, bodies and anxieties? These two questions epitomize the concerns that the contributors address in this collection. The postcolonial voices that come together between the covers of this book show that indigenous subjects and heritages do matter in the theological and hermeneutical business, for we all have something to learn from First Peoples, and that theologians and biblical critics have much to gain from (and offer to) confronting and troubling traditional views and fears. Together in this book, the postcolonial voices from Downunder (geographically: Oceania, Pasifika; ideologically: marginalized, minoritized) confront political and religious bodies, including Christian churches, on account of their participation in and justification of the occupation and poaching of native lands, wisdom, wealth, and titles. This book is for First Peoples and Second Peoples, whether they are down under or up yonder, who are curious about possible advents of postcolonial theologies and postcolonial biblical criticisms in the future.

Religion and Higher Education in Europe and North America illuminates the experiences of staff and students in higher education as they negotiate the university environment. Religious extremism has been rising across Europe, whilst recent attacks have thrown public debate around the place of religion on campus, the role of universities in recognising and managing religious fundamentalism and freedom of speech on campus into sharper focus. Despite these debates, research exploring religion on campus has been largely absent from discourse on higher education outside of America, with policy and practices designed to deal with religion on campus largely founded on supposition rather than evidence. This book speaks into that void, including results from recent studies in the field which form an empirically grounded base from a broad variety of perspectives on religion at universities. Aiming to offer a deeper perspective, more dialogue, and engagement on the experiences of students, Religion and Higher Education in Europe and North America presents us not only with an opportunity to counter growing trends of intolerance, but for people to connect with the humanity of others. Focusing on what research reveals about staff and students’ experiences, it incorporates research from different academic disciplines including sociology, education, social policy, theology and religious studies, and across different faith and belief groups. This thought-provoking and challenging volume features chapters written by researchers involved in informing policy and practice relating to religion and belief in higher education in the UK, US, Canada, France and the Netherlands . Spanning the academic-practitioner divide, students and academics interested in the sociology of religion and of higher education, as well as those responsible for the practical management of campus life, will find this text of particular importance.

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.

This report aims to 'crack the code' by deciphering the factors that hinder and facilitate girls' and women's participation, achievement and continuation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and, in particular, what the education sector can do to promote girls' and women's interest in and engagement with STEM education and ultimately STEM careers.

This collection offers a timely and wide-ranging contribution to the research-informed improvement of the work of teacher educators. Drawing on original research studies conducted across a range of European countries, Canada, and Israel, contributors offer insight into not only questions of curriculum and programme development, research, and professional development, but also their day-to-day experience as teacher educators, student teachers, and mentors in schools. Themes explored include teaching and working with students, teacher educators as researchers, the partnership work of teacher educators, the professional development needs of teacher educators, professional development approaches for improving teacher education, and teacher educator empowerment. Arising from the international community of the Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE), and drawing together theory and practice, this book offers a unique survey of the contributions of teacher educators and charts a path for future directions of the field.