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A Glocalized or Globalized Edition? Contextualizing Gender Representation in EFL Textbooks in Saudi Arabia: A Critical Discourse Analysis Perspective

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Conceptual Shifts and Contextualized Practices in Education for Glocal Interaction

Part of the book series: Intercultural Communication and Language Education ((ICLE))

Abstract

This chapter sought to investigate aspects of gender in one of the currently used English language series, namely New Headway Plus: Special Edition within the conservative context of Saudi Arabia. The series is used for female/male adult language learners from beginner to intermediate levels in King Abdulaziz University at the foundation year program, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In effect, the research analysed the images in the series in terms of gender positioning in images from a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) perspective. The findings revealed that the series is biased in terms of gender representation. First, there was a huge gap between the number of male and female images. Second, males were depicted in a wide range of social contexts in their single images compared to females. Third, males had a higher status than females in the single images in all the books under investigation. Finally, the body language of males in the series indicated laboriousness in the work environment, while females’ body language communicated a combination of relaxed and dreamy gestures. At the end, we suggest the need for a glocalized edition where images of females are empowered with greater equality and equity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Amjjad Sulaimani & Tariq Elyas

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  1. Amjjad Sulaimani
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  2. Tariq Elyas
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Correspondence to Amjjad Sulaimani .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

    Ali Fuad Selvi

  2. Mukogawa Women's University, Nishinomiya, Japan

    Nathanael Rudolph

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Sulaimani, A., Elyas, T. (2018). A Glocalized or Globalized Edition? Contextualizing Gender Representation in EFL Textbooks in Saudi Arabia: A Critical Discourse Analysis Perspective. In: Selvi, A., Rudolph, N. (eds) Conceptual Shifts and Contextualized Practices in Education for Glocal Interaction. Intercultural Communication and Language Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6421-0_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6421-0_4

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