Arab Educational Information Network

This study aimed to investigate the dilemma of the cultural identity of a basic segment of Kuwaiti society, namely the university students, by examining the opinions of a sample of students of the College of Basic Education. The study also purposed to detect the challenges and risks posed by globalization in all its forms on the lives of those students and its impact on the structure of their identities and the composition of their personalities, as well as, the role of the college and its curricula in confronting these challenges. The study followed a qualitative descriptive approach, which was undertaken in two methods: a theoretical part involved an analytical investigation of previous literature around the axis of the university student’s identity and the role of universities and colleges in its formation. The other method is an empirical qualitative analysis that first involved content analysis of the major sheets and courses in the College of Basic Education in order to reveal the aspects of Kuwaiti identity and its components in the structure of university curricula, whereas the second empirical qualitative aspect concerned conducting focus group interviews with a sample of (68) students from different academic years in the college. Findings of this study revealed the shortening of college curricula and courses that promote Islamic and Arab identity as well as national belonging among students. The study also displayed students' awareness of the threats towards the Kuwaiti identity and the reincarnation of the Western personality, as well as their consciousness of the influences that negatively affect this identity. The study presented a number of proposals related to developing the role of the college in enhancing the Kuwaiti cultural identity among its students. (Published abstract)