Religious Influences in Thai Female Education (1889-1931)

by Runchana P. Suksod-Barger

Overview

In this study Runchana Pam Suksod-Barger examines the impact of religion on female access to education in Thailand from 1889 to 1931--the early Modernization Period in Thailand. Although Thailand had traditionally been a Buddhist nation-state, Protestant missionaries during this era arrived in the country to convert Thais to Christianity. The Protestant belief in literacy so that everyone could read the Bible opened up educational opportunities for Thai girls that were not previously available to them. Suksod-Barger investigates the degree to which Buddhist and Christian (Protestant) influences affected Thai educational reforms for girls in primary and secondary education during the early Modernization Period, using a feminist theoretical framework to understand the social, political, economic, and religious impact. Examination of historical documents and empirical data are employed to compare the effect of two religions' values on female education access. The study contributes to the exploration of the historical and contextual discourse of Buddhism and women in Thailand, the history of education for Thai females during the early Modernization Period, and the overview of Protestant missions in the country, particularly their influence in establishing systems of mass education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781630873165
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	06/26/2014
Series:	American Society of Missiology Monograph Series , #20
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

R. Pam Suksod-Barger is a guest faculty member in the Intercultural Studies Department at Wheaton College Graduate School. She also currently serves as the English Language Institute program administrator and coordinator of distance education. Her research interests focus on cross-cultural research, internationalization, democratization, technology, social justice, religion, and gender in education.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations x

Acknowledgments xi

1 Introduction 1

2 Conceptual Framework 7

3 Methodology 13

4 Complexity of Buddhism for Thai Females 22

5 Education, Buddhism, and Women 40

6 Protestant Work Ethic and Thai Missions 64

7 Enrollment Trends in Thai Education 96

8 Conclusion 115

Appendix A Summary of Schools and Students in Thailand (1885-1912) 125

Appendix B Students and Teachers by Grade Level in Thailand (1885-1933) 127

Enrollment Statistics of American Presbyterian Schools Thailand (1899-1932) 130

Bibliography 137