Education and Tolerance of Homosexuality in Diverse Islamic Contexts

This study examines the relationship between educational attainment and moral tolerance of homosexuality among Muslims in Algeria, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Utilizing human development theory to understand how educational attainment affects social values, the analysis draws on data from over 5,000 respondents from the Pew Research Center's "World's Muslims" dataset, which includes responses from a nationally representative sample of Muslims in these four countries. Logistic regression models and predicted probabilities are used to explore how educational attainment relates to moral tolerance of homosexuality, adjusting estimates for various alternate explanations through the use of control variables. The findings reveal that the moral tolerance of homosexuality is actually higher among respondents with the lowest levels of education in three of the four countries: Algeria, Malaysia, and Pakistan. In contrast, respondents in Turkey are more likely to be morally tolerant of homosexuality if they have higher levels of educational attainment. These results challenge the universal applicability of modernization theory, showing that educational effects are contingent upon broader political and cultural contexts. This research contributes to understanding how education in Muslim-majority countries can both challenge and reinforce prevailing cultural and political ideologies regarding homosexuality. It underscores the necessity of considering educational content and societal context in formulating educational policies aimed at fostering tolerance and inclusivity.