The Capabilities Approach: A Future Alternative to Neoliberal Higher Education in the MENA Region

Abstract

This conceptual paper is a future study aiming to shed light on the current state of higher education in the MENA region. The neoliberal agenda for higher education in the region presents a form of education that is commodified, corporatized and focused on STEM rather than on humanities. The paper further speculates on the state of higher education in the near future under the same ideology. As an alternative, the study proposes the implementation of Martha Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach. This approach is capable of re-balancing the tipped scale in the commodification of higher education and will serve in developing well-rounded individuals. The Capabilities Approach can reform higher education through critical thinking, liberal education, and attention to diversity.