CAES Morocco: Leading Across Differences

    The social contract of modest dressing in Morocco and other Muslim countries is something I grappled with for almost the entire duration of our trip. I felt that it was too hot to wear so many clothes, or that it was an impingement on my own bodily autonomy and freedoms, and a relic of a patriarchal society. While some of these things may have some relevance and truth to them, I had also only skimmed the surface of the other functions of the style of dress.     The first thing I realized was that the long sleeves and pants, as well as a hijab or scarf, also function as effective sun protection. You don't have to wear sunscreen if your skin isn't exposed in the first place. The most poignant aspect, however, was the effect dressing in such a manner had on my relationship with my body. Within the United States, there has been a recent pushback on the movement termed with "body positivity", as Ozempic and other semaglutide cocktails become available for mass-ma...

 I found this TED Talk extremely interesting, as Hetain Patel did an incredible job using expressive examples to show his message rather than simply telling it. I was initially confused when Patel began speaking Mandarin, but I quickly realized it was a powerful demonstration of assumptions and identity. His idea that attempting to imitate someone, and failing, can actually deepen our understanding of ourselves made me reflect on my own life. Growing up, I was always trying to be like my older brother. I played the same sports, picked up his hobbies and interests, and wanted to be just like him. Over time, I realized we were very different people, and through that imitation, I discovered what I did and didn’t enjoy. This ultimately helped me better understand myself and recognize the impact those around me have on my identity and self-concept.

    Something I noticed among our travels around Morocco that held consistency was the public school system. From the surface, all of the primary schools looked well-maintained and very functional. We often passed just as children were let out from school, and they usually looked happy to be there, joking with their friends and behaving just like kids do in American public schools. As someone who attended a subpar Title I public school in inner-city Atlanta, I'm well aware of the disparities in education and resources between public and private schools in the region.     Upon doing research, I learned that public school is available for free to all children in Morocco, and not dependent on their nationality or migratory status (UNHCR Morocco, 2026). Additionally, refugees are able to apply for financial assistance in the case they need support for funding schooling-related costs, such as transportation, food, and school supplies. While this appears to be a good ...

       Across our journey across Morocco, we saw many flags representing nations and peoples, yet the distinct multicolored pride flag, which peeks its head out from coast to coast in the United States, was noticeably absent. This absence, paired with the additional gender constraints on women we saw throughout the country, led me to question how lesbian communities exist and survive within Moroccan society. Under Article 489 of the Moroccan Penal Code, homosexual acts are illegal and punishable with imprisonment. Additionally, there are no discrimination protection laws against homosexuals in Morocco, and there are no rights enshrining same-sex marriages or adoptions (Griffin, 2022; Rights in Exile, 2023). Due to the illegality of homosexuality and the lack of protections for lesbian communities, I was unable to find a sufficient number or percentage of the Moroccan population that identified as lesbian. Homosexuality in all forms is generally (but certainly not alw...

       As we have traveled through Morocco, I have noticed that people's dental health differs from that of citizens in the United States. This is an entirely neutral observation with no ill will towards individuals suffering from dental issues or complications, but rather a window into the differences in the availability and accessibility of quality, affordable dental care across Morocco. Morocco has a ratio of 1 dentist per 7,000 citizens, compared to the U.S.’s 1-1,680 ratio (Bahadi, 2016; NewMouth, 2024). To further complicate matters, most dentists in Morocco are clustered in urban centers, leaving rural residents without reliable access to dental care. Such a lack of dental care availability has resulted in 60-90% of children with tooth decay, which in turn leads to high decay rates among adults aged 35-44 (WHO EMRO, 2020; Chala et al., 2024). This is not to say that dental care is unattainable for all Moroccans, rather, it depends drastically on one’s proximit...

 Something I had not considered before coming here was the gender roles within the agricultural industries here in Morocco. Back during the Driscolls tour, we were told that it was primarily women doing a lot of the hard work directly with the fruit, and while this may have been jarring to a lot of us as Americans, it's just another social norm for them, although they may still face many of the hardships associated with the backbreaking labor involved. Some companies such as Driscolls may have worker protections and hold many female scientists and researchers in high positions, but that doesn't always mean that smaller farms or farming operations will maintain the same standards.  Pictured above is a photo of some blueberries I took at the Driscolls farm we visited.  Women are actually the backbone of agriculture here in Morocco. Roughly 20,000 women are employed by the strawberry sector in the north of Morocco alone (Oxford). As we learmed during the Driscolls tour,...

One identity difference that stood out was gender roles and how they shape everyday life, leadership, and opportunities within society. As we traveled through cities, agricultural communities, and educational institutions, I’ve noticed that expectations for men and women can vary depending on location, age, religion, family traditions, and socioeconomic status. Observing these differences firsthand in Morocco has helped me better understand how gender roles influence culture and community dynamics in ways that are both subtle and visible.  Morocco has made significant progress in improving women's access to education and legal rights over the past few decades. More women are attending universities, entering professional careers, and participating in leadership roles more than ever before. However, gender inequality still exists in areas like political representation. Women continue to experience barriers that can limit economic independence and leadership opportunities, especiall...

    Media, whether it be social media apps, television, etc., "builds, organizes, and refines our understanding of the world" (Cognitive Impacts of Media, 2025). It subconsciously shapes our opinions of the world around us. For some of us, the media is our only exposure to certain ideals, cultures, and subjects, and we may develop strong opinions without understanding the biases or inaccuracies that exist . For others, the media provides a safe space for people to see their identities represented in ways they may not have exposure to in their personal relationships. An example of this is LGBTQ+/queer representation in media. When displayed positively, media has the potential to "promote cultural acceptance and inclusion" of the otherwise marginalized queer community (Yuan & Guintu, 2025).     A 2023 study of heavy media viewers in Morocco reports that 33.3% of surveyed individuals strongly agree that homosexuality is an unacceptable sexual practice (Kandoussi, 2...

I think I’ve been really aware on this trip of when and in what contexts we’ve interacted with women. I was really glad to see women in professional and leadership roles at places like the berry farm and ENA. I've attached a picture of us speaking to the female students at ENA about their studies, which was an experience I found to be really rewarding. With this in mind, I was surprised to learn that, as of 2025, women make up only 22.4 percent of the labor force in Morocco. In fact, the employment rate of women has experienced a sharp decline since its most recent peak of 26.1 percent in 2008 (World Bank, n.d.). This trend both contradicts other trends in the MENA region and flies against efforts made by the Moroccan government to increase female employment (O'Neil, 2018).  There are a number of obstacles that are keeping women from higher levels of employment in Morocco. Many education programs have begun to address issues of illiteracy among rural women, but still there rema...

In terms of ability and social status here in Morocco, something I've passively thought of is the differences between their healthcare systems and ours. While this isn't something we learned about directly, as the sinus pressure, food poisoning, migraines, or heat-related illnesses started catching up to us this past week, I think it's something we should all look into.  As we all know from personal experience, the US healthcare system is highly privatized and does not provide universal coverage. Statistics report that "48.7% of citizens received private insurance coverage through their employer (group insurance), 6.3% received private insurance through health insurance marketplaces (nongroup insurance),21.2% of citizens relied on Medicaid, 14.6% on Medicare, and 1.3% on other public forms of insurance (eg, Veterans Health Administration [VHA] and Military Health Service [MHS]), leaving 8% of Americans uninsured, (US Healthcare). Most people, even those with insurance,...

While in Morocco, I became interested in learning more about how transgender people are viewed within Moroccan society and how cultural and religious values influence gender roles. Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country where traditional expectations around gender and identity are deeply connected to religion, family, and social norms. According to Human Rights Watch (2022), LGBTQ+ individuals in Morocco, including transgender people, often face discrimination, social stigma, and limited legal protections. Public discussions surrounding gender identity are not very common, and many transgender individuals experience pressure to hide their identities to avoid judgment or harassment. These societal attitudes can affect access to employment, healthcare, and social acceptance, making it difficult for transgender people to openly express themselves. Learning about this topic made me reflect on how differently gender identity is understood across cultures. In the United States, conversat...

While visiting the souks in Morocco, I noticed how differently many market sellers are treated depending on the expectations of tourists, especially French tourists. Morocco was under French colonial rule from 1912 to 1956, and the effects of colonization are still visible today in language, tourism, and economic systems. French is still widely spoken in business settings, and many tourists from France visit Morocco expecting locals to accommodate them culturally and linguistically. According to Britannica, French colonization heavily influenced Morocco’s economy, education system, and urban development, creating long-lasting social and economic divisions (“French Protectorate in Morocco,” Britannica). In the souks, many sellers depend on tourism to support themselves, which can place them in a lower social position where they feel pressured to meet tourists’ expectations in order to make sales. This creates an imbalance where tourists often hold more power than the local workers whose...

In Islam, cats are regarded as clean animals deserving of respect, a belief that significantly shapes how they are treated in many Muslim-majority countries, including Morocco. This perspective is rooted in Islamic tradition, where the Prophet Muhammad's kindness towards cats has become a cultural norm of caring for them. In Morocco, it’s quite common to observe community members actively feeding and safeguarding street cats, allowing these animals to live alongside people without fear of neglect or harm. This behavior reflects the intertwining of religious values and cultural practices that emphasize compassion and hospitality. The Encyclopaedia Britannica highlights that Islamic teachings promote kindness toward animals and stress the importance of humane treatment of all living creatures (Esposito, 2023). In the images attached to this blog, the street cats in Morocco appear healthy and relaxed, comfortably interacting with humans. This is largely due to the collective effort of...