A Brief History of Academic Dress in the Middle East and the Maghreb

There are hundreds of universities in the Middle East and the Maghreb, yet the academic dress that they wear, if any, varies widely. Colour standards for hoods are non-existent, and gown shapes vary among British, American, and European shapes, sometimes incorporating elements of each into a single gown, and elaborated with local cultural details. This article examines the current, fluid state of academic dress in the region, where it is not indigenous and is one element of the after-effects of the imposed colonial educational systems.