Disrupting the mathematics–masculinity link? Perspectives of Palestinian/Arab Israeli students on gender and mathematics

The universality of narratives that link ability in mathematics to boys and to masculinity around the globe is questionable. This study tests a conjecture that such narratives might be less common in the Palestinian/Arab Israeli context among school students. In Arabic-language schools in Israel, girls’ achievement in mathematics consistently exceeds that of boys. We surveyed 475 ninth- and eleventh-grade students using a translated version of the "Who and Mathematics" survey. Results reveal a configuration of gendered associations that diverges from Western patterns. Item-wise analysis shows that students significantly associate mathematical difficulty, disengagement, and disruptive classroom behaviors with boys but attribute enjoyment of mathematics and attention to success in mathematics to girls. These findings confirm that associations between gender and mathematics are culturally specific. Profile analysis shows different configurations of gendered constraints in mathematics, in particular, a feminization of diligence-driven success. This framing may reinforce an effort over ability logic that potentially constrains the advancement of girls and women in mathematics or pathways to mathematics-related careers.