Cairo Pop by
Cairo Pop is the first book to examine the dominant popular music of Egypt, shababiyya. Scorned or ignored by scholars and older Egyptians alike, shababiyya plays incessantly in Cairo, even while Egyptian youth joined in mass protests against their government, which eventually helped oust longtime Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in early 2011. Living in Cairo at the time of the revolution, Daniel Gilman saw, and more importantly heard, the impact that popular music can have on culture and politics. Here he contributes a richly ethnographic analysis of the relationship between mass-mediated popular music, modernity, and nationalism in the Arab world. Before Cairo Pop, most scholarship on the popular music of Egypt focused on musiqa al-ṭarab. Immensely popular in the 1950s and ’60s and even into the ’70s, musiqa al-ṭarab adheres to Arabic musical theory, with non-Western scales based on tunings of the strings of the ‘ud—the lute that features prominently, nearly ubiquitously, in Arabic music. However, today one in five Egyptians is between the ages of 15 and 24; half the population is under the age of 25. And shababiyya is their music of choice. By speaking informally with dozens of everyday young people in Cairo, Gilman comes to understand shababiyya as more than just a musical genre: sometimes it is for dancing or seduction, other times it propels social activism, at others it is simply sonic junk food. In addition to providing a clear Egyptian musical history as well as a succinct modern political history of the nation, Cairo Pop elevates the aural and visual aesthetic of shababiyya—and its role in the lives of a nation’s youth.
Culture and Customs of Egypt by
Modern Egypt blends African history and geography with Arab culture and religion. With its position at the crossroads of Africa, its status as a major Islamic nation, and continuing interest in its ancient monuments, Egypt makes for fascinating study. This volume provides an accessible, up-to-date overview of a society that greatly evolved, yet retains traces of attitudes and behaviors from the days of the Pharaohs.
This volume's insights into everyday life, sociopolitical structures, and cultural institutions transcend ordinary guide books. Asante, a noted Africanist, authoritatively presents the richness of Egypt from the Nile to the Nubian influence, to Cairo congestion and carpet schools. Chapters describe the land, people, history, education, tourism, religion, art and architecture, food, social customs and lifestyles, literature, media, cinema, and performing arts. A chronology, glossary, and numerous photos enhance the text.
Cultureshock Egypt by
A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette in Egypt
Egypt Society and Culture Complete Report by
Need to know it all? Our all-inclusive culture report for Egypt will get up to speed on all aspects of culture in Egypt, including lifecycle, religion, women, superstitions & folklore, sports, holidays & festivals, and etiquette.
Islam, Charity, and Activism by
Throughout the Middle East, Islamist charities and social welfare organizations play a major role in addressing the socioeconomic needs of Muslim societies, independently of the state. Through case studies of Islamic medical clinics in Egypt, the Islamic Center Charity Society in Jordan, and the Islah Women's Charitable Society in Yemen, Janine A. Clark examines the structure and dynamics of moderate Islamic institutions and their social and political impact. Questioning the widespread assumption that such organizations primarily serve the poorer classes, Clark argues that these organizations in fact are run by and for the middle class. Rather than the vertical recruitment or mobilization of the poor that they are often presumed to promote, Islamic social institutions play an important role in strengthening social networks that bind middle-class professionals, volunteers, and clients. Ties of solidarity that develop along these horizontal lines foster the development of new social networks and the diffusion of new ideas.
Muslim Identities and Modernity by
What have the concepts of modernity and secularisation meant for Islamic tradition, culture and society? How have the discourses which surround all of these issues influenced Muslim self-perception and individual identity? There have been many attempts to describe and analyse the problem that the encounter between Islam and modernity creates in the Middle East. However, few have been able so effectively to explore the impact this has on the idea and reality of religious identity and individual religiosity. Maha Habib examines modernity from this angle, offering socio-cultural, philosophical and literary perspectives. She assesses how this is played out in Egypt, analysing cultural changes in the country through its intellectual thought and literature, from the nineteenth century to the present day. Her references to the works of Muhammad Abdu, Lutfi al-Sayyid, Naguib Mahfouz, Alaa Al-Aswany and Salwa Bakr reveal contemporary issues and concerns which will interest those researching the cultural and social milieu of modern Egypt.
A Brief History of Egypt by
Ancient Egypt was one of the longest-lasting civilizations the world has known. Today, Egypt plays a vital role in the politics of the Middle East, and learning about its history, economic pressures, diverse cultures, and social issues is essential to understanding the contemporary Middle East. In A Brief History of Egypt, Arthur Goldschmidt Jr., a leading expert on the Middle East, explores Egypt's broad political, economic, social, and cultural developments, covering roughly 6,000 years of history.
While most readers will be familiar with at least parts of ancient Egyptian history, contemporary Egypt and its connections to the past are not always well understood. This new volume provides a solid background to this rich and diverse country in an accessible format for students and general readers alike.
Egypt : Opposing Viewpoints series by
How should recent political events in Egypt be viewed? -- The military takeover of Egypt should be deemed a coup / Robert Scheer -- The military takeover of Egypt should not be classified as a coup / Mark Ulrich -- Is what happened in Egypt a coup or a revolution? It's both / Max Fisher -- Egypt's military coup was a legitimate expression of the people's will / Reese Neader -- Egypt's military coup is illegitimate and undemocratic / Peter Osborne -- Egypt's new constitution is a step toward democracy / Hafez Ghanem -- Egypt's constitutional referendum : it's not about democracy anymore / Dan Murphy -- Egypt's constitutional referendum has solved nothing / Sharif Nashashibi -- What is the impact of recent political and social upheaval in Egypt? -- Civil liberties are being violated in Egypt / Sharif Abdel Kouddous -- Sexual harassment of and violence against women are on the rise / Brian Rohan -- Egypt's military coup is undoing the gains of the Arab Spring / Tim Black -- Egypt will rise again / Ross Harrison -- Egypt's democratic revolution has stalled / HA Hellyer -- Egypt is hobbled by a culture of corruption and cronyism / Talal Salman -- Egypt's military coup could doom democracy / Mohammad Fadel -- What political, economic, and social policies should Egypt adopt? -- Egypt should embrace secular governance / Salma El Shahed -- Egypt will not be a truly secular country / Raymond Stock -- Religious figures must avoid partisanship and sectarianism / Asma Afsaruddin -- The Egyptian government must be inclusive to Islamist factions / Anando Bhakto -- Economic reform, the only way forward for Egypt / Jamal Khashoggi -- Egypt's rape culture must be confronted and not used for political gain / Anna Lekas Miller -- What should be US policy on Egypt? -- The United States will support democratic and economic reform in Egypt / Barack Obama -- The United States should realize the limitations of its influence in Egypt / Steven A. Cook -- As Egypt erupts, U.S. dithers / John Bolton -- The United States must clearly repudiate the Egyptian military coup / John Esposito -- The United States should resume military aid to Egypt / Eric Trager -- The United States should not resume military aid to Egypt / Sarah Marusek.
Inside Egypt by
First published in 2008 with the subtitle The Land of the Pharaohs on the Brink of a Revolution , this strikingly prophetic and critically acclaimed book caused an international media firestorm when it was banned by former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak. When the revolution it uniquely predicted took place in January 2011, Inside Egypt became essential reading for anyone wanting to understand what led to revolutionary upheaval in the Arab world's most populous country. In a new Afterword, the author explores the revolution itself, and ponders the still precarious future of a country he lived in for a decade.
Media, Revolution and Politics in Egypt by
Media, Revolution, and Politics in Egypt: The Story of an Uprising chronicles the political and media dynamic in pre- and post-revolution Egypt and what it could mean for the country’s hoped-for democratic transition. Against the backdrop of a resurrected police state, rights gained through revolution have whittled away. With a polarised body politic, the facts have become amorphous as various ideological trends cling to their own narratives of truth, making national reconciliation more challenging than ever
Once upon a Revolution: an Egyptian story by
Cambanis brings to life the noble dreamers who brought Egypt to the brink of freedom, and the dark powerful forces that—for the time being—stopped them short. But he also tells a universal story of inspirational people willing to transform themselves in order to transform their society. He focuses on two pivotal leaders: One is Basem, an apolitical middle-class architect who puts his entire family in danger when he seizes the chance to improve his country. The other is Moaz, a contrarian Muslim Brother who defies his own organization to join the opposition.
These revolutionaries had little more than their idealism with which to battle the secret police, the old oligarchs, and a power-hungry military determined to keep control. Basem wanted to change the system from within and became one of the only revolutionaries to win a seat in parliament. Moaz took a different course, convinced that only street pressure from youth movements could dismantle the old order. Their courageous and imperfect decisions produced an uprising with one enduring outcome: No Arab leader ever again can take the population’s consent for granted.
Once Upon a Revolution is “a welcome addition to the literature on Egypt’s uprising” (Library Journal). Featuring exclusive and distinctive reporting, Thanassis Cambanis’s “fluent, intelligent, and highly informed book…convincingly explains what happened in Egypt over the last four years” (The New York Times Book Review).
A Portrait of Egypt by
It is difficult to be neutral about Egypt. For centuries it has been a citadel of Islamic learning and thought, and since the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty in 1979, it has been of immense strategic importance to American interests in the Middle East. But - as the 1997 massacre of foreign tourists at Luxor made clear - Egypt is also a country in crisis, torn between the old and the new, between unsettled religious revival and secular politics. In A Portrait of Egypt, acclaimed New Yorker writer Mary Anne Weaver argues that an Islamist victory in Egypt is almost inevitable, and unlike that of Shi'ite Iran, its impact on the Islamic world will be truly profound. Even among scholars who normally shun domino theories of history, there is a growing concern that if Egypt goes Islamic, so could much of the Arab world. Based on exclusive interviews with militants and front men, generals and presidents, A Portrait of Egypt is a brilliant, eye-opening account of the world of militant Islam, essential reading for anyone trying to understand the far-reaching consequences of the growing impact of Islamist politics and policies on the West.
Road to Tahrir Square by
When protesters in Egypt began to fill Cairo's Tahrir Square on January 25th--and refused to leave until their demand that Hosni Mubarak step down was met--the politics of the region changed overnight. And the United States' long friendship with the man who had ruled under Emergency Law for thirty years came starkly into question.
From Franklin D. Roosevelt's brief meeting with King Farouk near the end of World War II to Barack Obama's Cairo Speech in 2009 and the recent fall of Mubarak--the most significant turning point in American foreign policy since the end of the Cold War--this timely new book answers the urgent question of why Egypt has mattered so much to the United States. The Road to Tahrir Square is the first book to connect past and present, offering readers today an understanding of the events and forces determining American policy in this vitally important region.
Making full use of the available records--including the controversial Wikileaks archive--renowned historian Lloyd C. Gardner shows how the United States has sought to influence Egypt through economic aid, massive military assistance, and CIA manipulations, an effort that has immediate implications for how the current crisis will alter the balance of power in the Middle East. As millions of Americans ponder how the Egyptian revolution will change the face of the region and the world, here is both a fascinating story of past policies and an essential guide to possible futures.
Casting off the Veil by
In 1923, when the pioneer of feminist activism, Huda Shaarawi, removed her veil in Cairo’s train station, she created what became a landmark (and much-copied) gesture for feminists throughout Egypt and the Middle East and cemented her status as one of the most important feminists in twentieth-century Egypt. In Casting off the Veil, her granddaughter Sania Sharawi Lanfranchi uses never-before seen letters and photographs to explore the life and thought of Egypt’s first feminist, as she campaigned against British occupation, as well as striving to improve conditions for women throughout the country. From her birth into a wealthy and powerful family, her early years spent in a harem, to her iconic status as one of the most influential feminists in Middle Eastern history, this is a fascinating portrait of a determined and ground-breaking woman, a rich and important story which will captivate everyone with an interest in Egyptian, feminist or colonial history.
Ancient Egypt Unearthed by
Take a journey down the mighty Nile, back through time, and uncover ancient Egypt's long-lost mysteries. Includes: Egypt Uncovered; Egypt's Ten Greatest Discoveries; Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen; Why Ancient Egypt Fell; and Women Pharaohs.
Egypt's Golden Empire by
Examines the rise and fall of Egypt's New Kingdom, 1560 B.C. to 1080 B.C.
Tut: The Boy King by
Now you can witness the marvelous treasures as these stunning and priceless artifacts are revealed in extraordinary detail, and experience the mystery and romance surrounding the legendary King Tutankhamun.
Eyewitness Travel Guide - Egypt by
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Egypt is your indispensable guide to this remarkable part of the world. This fully updated guide includes street maps of cities and towns, plus unique illustrated cutaways, floor plans and reconstructions of the must-see sights.
Vibrant full-color photography will help you visualize your destinations as you discover Egypt one region at a time. Detailed listings will inform you of the best hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops for all budgets. Explore local festivals and markets, day trips and excursions to see ancient pyramids, and find your way effortlessly around the region. DK's insider tips and cultural insight will help you explore every corner of Egypt, as if you were a local.
