Learned Behaviours by Zeynab Gamieldien: exploring the hidden curriculum of class

Stemming from her curiosity to explore how peoples schooling experiences have the tendency to steer the direction of their futures, author Zeynab Gamieldien, takes us on a journey of how power and class, and how their advantages or lack thereof, can often dictate the steps we take into adulthood. Set in Western Sydney, her recently launched novel, Learned Behaviours, invites us to become mindful of how the education we receive(d) has shaped who we are, what we do and the capacity in which we live.

Our interview with Zeynab explores the inspiration behind the novel, her favourite part of writing it and what she hopes her readers will take away from it.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as an author?

I’m a writer living on Bidjigal land. I’ve always loved reading and writing in all forms and had a blog about Muslim relationships back when blogs were a thing! My debut novel, The Scope of Permissibility, was published in 2023, and my second novel, Learned Behaviours, was being published in July 2025. I’ve also written articles for publications like The Griffith Review and The Guardian.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve always been interested in how the schooling people receive influences their life’s trajectory and how it can cement societal advantage and disadvantage. Setting a story partly in a school seemed like such a fertile ground to explore power and class, between students themselves and their varied backgrounds, between students and teachers, between schools and the communities they form part of.

Can you give us a quick summary of the story (without spoilers)?

Over fifteen years ago, Zaid's best friend Hass took his own life after being arrested for murder. Since then, Zaid has crafted a life for himself as a successful lawyer and now prospective barrister, entering a world far removed from their humble schoolyard days in the suburbs of western Sydney. But when Hass’s sister finds him and asks him to read her brother’s diary, Zaid is pulled back to the very world he had left behind, forcing him to confront the truth of what really happened.

What themes or messages do you explore in this book?

I wanted to write a story exploring class, advantage and disadvantage. I wanted to explore the innumerable ways these manifest in society, starting with the families and homes we’re born into, the names we’re given, the suburbs we’re raised in and schools we attend, all things beyond our control. I wanted to explore how these factors shape our destinies far more than many of us would admit to and how devastating the consequences can be.

How did you come up with the title, and does it have a special meaning?

The title is one with a double meaning. It refers to the behaviours people have to learn to fit in, cope and succeed within systems that work against them, but it also refers to the literal setting of the book, which is within a school.

Are any of the characters based on real people—or parts of yourself?

The characters and events of the book are entirely fictional and not based on any real people. In saying that, I do draw on experiences I’ve had and things I’ve seen for general inspiration.

If your protagonist could give one piece of advice to readers, what would it be?

Zaid’s advice would depend on whether you caught him at the beginning, middle or end of the book! He goes on quite a journey of discovery.

How long did it take you to write this book from idea to final draft?

About a year or so. I was toying around with ideas for a while but the actual writing was about a year, and then several months after that for editing.

What part of the writing process do you love—and what part is not so fun?

I love writing the first several thousand words, before you really know where it’s going. It’s so free-flowing and exciting. I love writing endings too, and I love when the characters do something that surprises me and the story takes on a life of its own. Editing is painful, especially by the fourth or fifth round! But it’s really rewarding and satisfying to have an improved product by the end.

Did you face any writer’s block or setbacks while writing this book?

Not really writer’s block and not exactly a setback, but I was pregnant while writing it and then gave birth while I was still writing. Learning to write while becoming a parent for the first time was a new experience for me, and one I’m still learning how to do.

What are you most excited, or nervous about now that it has launched?

It’s always both exciting and scary to put out my work into the world. You never know how it’ll be received by readers, but that’s also part of the fun. I love to see people engaging with my work and thinking about what it means to them.

What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

I want people to reflect on education as both a key measure as well as a contributor to widening societal inequality. More broadly, I’d like people to reflect on widening societal inequality, to take an honest look in the mirror and acknowledge how much of what they have and what they’ve been able to achieve is because of the privileges they’ve been born into, and conversely, how limited people’s opportunities in life can be when they’re not born into privileged circumstances.

Get your copy of Learned Behaviours here.