Abstract

The Mediterranean region’s educational landscape is intricately woven with a history rich in cultural exchanges, human migrations, diverse political influences, and conflicting tensions. In this article, we examine the complexities of education in the region. Rather than viewing the Mediterranean as a unified entity, we highlight contradictions and paradoxes that illuminate differences and inequalities stemming from colonial legacies, postcolonial struggles, diglossia, migration, and cultural pluralism within national education systems. Three thematic axes underpin our analysis. We briefly explore the colonial legacies in the evolution of modern Arab States and the Arabization of formal education. We then delve into the interplay of ‘national’ and ‘secondary’ languages within educational programs. This intricate mosaic bridges cultural references among students, albeit often amidst subtle conflicts over linguistic hegemony. Lastly, we examine the complex mobility of individuals, students, and educational discourse across the Mediterranean. The emergence of a ‘culture of mobility’ challenges traditional notions of belonging and disrupts static educational environments. In conclusion, the Mediterranean’s educational spaces are characterised by diversity, complexity, and ongoing transformation.