Culture and Mass Schooling

Melina R. Platas is Associate Professor in the Division of Social Science at New York University Abu Dhabi. Her research explores the social and political determinants of human development, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. She holds a BA in Human Biology and a Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University.

• Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. The puzzle of persistent inequality; 2. Schooling as a norm; 3. The colonial origins of inequality; 4. The limits of existing explanations; 5. Education as seen from the ground; 6. Empirical evidence of schooling norms; 7. Generalizing the argument; 8. Matters of culture; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.

'Why is there a persistent educational gap between Christians and Muslims in Africa, especially in predominantly Muslim areas? This innovative, rich study focuses on the transmission of colonial legacies and community values, and argues that where the colonial project sought to convert Muslims to Christianity, a skepticism about education led to a persistent gap. Melina Platas transforms our understandings of identity, informal institutions, and historical legacies.' Anna Grzymala-Busse, Stanford University