The role of higher education in developing female students’ social and cultural identities: A case study of one university in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This research is an interpretative qualitative study undertaken in a newly established public university in Saudi Arabia, referred to as The Regional University (TRU). The study employed 65 semi-structured interviews of students and lecturers, classroom observations and fieldnotes. The overarching aim was to explore and understand the role of this university in shaping and influencing female students’ identities. Identity is recognised as not fixed and is a transformative process that can be influenced by the discourses and practices that surround an individual. Therefore, the research also examined the implicational aspects of pedagogical practices, focusing on the example of learning English