Schooling for freedom: interwar Arabic pedagogy and emancipation of self and society

Modern Arabic pedagogy emerged in the interwar Middle East as a transformative discourse of social change. Articulated by a regional network of pedagogues employed mainly in the new states' educational apparatus, this movement positioned education as a means to cultivate free-thinking individuals and build a democratic society. This article examines a primary vehicle for their discourse: Palestinian, Iraqi, and Egyptian pedagogic journals published by teachers' training institutions in their capitals. It situates these journals within a broader framework, positioning Arabic progressive education as a distinct phenomenon rather than an extension of nationalist policies. Analysing this corpus through a regional lens, the article traces the trajectory of Arabic progressive pedagogy (c. 1918 -1939), shaped by foreign knowledge and localised adaptation. It reveals how these intellectuals sought to revolutionise society by centring education on the child's interests, capabilities, and autonomy, promoting adaptable curricula and stimulating environments. Their nationalism was rooted in individual freedom.