[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Egypt and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Egypt Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to egypt@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
Egypt's Government on Collision Course with Labor Organisations
Tom Stevenson argues that doctors and workers' strikes taking place across Egypt are a reflection of deep structural challenges in the country.
Strong Egypt-Russia Relations Can Be Spurred By Cultural Cooperation: Publisher
Dina Ezzat analyzes the growth in cooperation between Egypt and Russia on a cultural level.
Tourist Attack in Egypt May Be a Turning Point: Analysts
Randa Ali says, “The first terrorist attack on tourists in Egypt in over a decade raises fear of escalation, as critics point to a police force in need of restructuring.”
Al-Sisi’s Choice
Hussein Ibish says, “Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has exactly the same reason to run and not run for Egypt’s president: he could win.”
Who Let the Jihadis Out?
Hossam Bahgat investigates pardons and releases of Islamists following Mubarak and Morsi’s ouster.
Workers Strike at Egypt's Biggest Public Textile Hits Day 7
Bassem Abo Alabass reports on the developments of textile workers’ strike as it hits its seventh day.
Inside the Box
Mohamed Fouad argues that although Egypt is receiving economic aid from Gulf States, “the fundamentals of the economic situation in Egypt are not changing drastically enough to signal a recovery.”
The Shameful and Comedic Masks of Rape Culture
Farrah and Saaghi comment on oversimplifying “rape culture” in the Middle East and the United States, which is a phenomenon women from all over the world face.
Egypt and al-Qaida, The Prospect
Paul Rogers argues, “A cycle of military repression and violent jihadi resistance in Egypt threatens to eclipse the democratic hopes of the Arab awakening.”
State and Revolution
Maged Mandour says, “The Arab world, after analyzing the nature of states in the Middle East, needs to find its own indigenous path to democracy, based on its own unique historical, and societal conditions.”
Egypt As a Role Model: An Opportunity Lost
Rawia M Tawfik argues that the January 25 Revolution may have been an ideal example for peaceful transition to true democratic change for African countries.
History, Narrative, and Revolution in Egypt
William Barnes argues that attempts were made to construct revolutionaries’ narratives on the uprising, but state’s control of the knowledge produced on the events is more powerful, hence, more effective.
Revolution Square One: Egypt Three Years On
Al-Sharif Nassef analyzes the impact of neo-liberal economic policies adapted by the Muslim Brotherhood on Egypt, and the military’s comeback in the political sphere in order to explain the obstacles of achieving the demands of January 25 Revolution.
The West’s Crush on Egypt
Peter Schwartzstein writes on the West’s fascination with Egypt.
An Account of Torture From Wadi al-Natrun Prison
Islam Abu Ghazala writes his testimony documenting torture he faced in Wadi al-Natrun prison.
Hamdeen Sabbahi: A Civilian Alternative or Not?
Mai Shams El-Din analyzes the ramifications of Hamdeen Sabbahi’s announcement to run for office in relation to al-Sisi’s bid.
The Day After
Timothy E. Kaldas argues that the ability to mobilize on the streets and romanticize the revolution do not provide services to the people.
Letter From the Wife of Khaled al-Sayed: A Prison Visit
Hoda Mahmoud writes a detailed account on her visit to prison.
Faith Misplaced: Tony Blair on Religious Extremism
Edward Abedian responds to Tony Blair’s problematic comments on the Muslim Brotherhood’s role in the January 25 Revolution.
Egypt’s Elections: The Meaning of Sabahi’s Entry and Abul-Fotouh’s Exit
Bassem Sabry analyzes the political and social positions potential presidential candidates currently have, and how it can be interpreted when presidential elections take place.
Media Culpa
Mohamed Selim argues, “Every administration that ruled Egypt in the past three years has managed to keep the state of the media unchanged so as to solidify its grip on Egypt and admonish any rising competitors.”
The Difference Between Reform and reform|
Iris Boutros argues that Principal Bank for Development and Agricultural Credit (PBDAC) should encounter massive (R)eforms“to better serve farmers and improve agricultural productively and food security.”
Traffickers Torture for Profit
Human Rights Watch report sheds light on the abuses and torture Eritrean refugees endure from Sudanese and Egyptian smugglers before they are sold.
Revolutions Worth Remembering
Alia Mossallam argues that while numerous initiatives, campaigns, and experiences stemmed from the eighteen-day January 25 Revolution did not lead to significant outcomes, however, Egyptians should “hold on to every small achievement and carry it through in their memory.”
Speaking Truth to Power - Part 2
H. A. Hellyer releases part two of his article, in which he says, “Mistaking the majority’s position as normative, or normal, is a grave mistake that has nullified many a movement in the past.”
In Arabic:
نظام جديد.. شبه جديد
Jahd Khalil translates an interview Mada Masr made with Kent State University political scientist Joshua Stacher.
الأنبياء لا يترشحون للرئاسة
Tamer Abu Arab reflects on the paradoxical public reaction to the Muslim Brotherhood’s exploitation of religion to benefit their rule, in comparison to the lack thereof to Sa’ad el-Din al-Hilali’s, Azhar University scholar, portrayal of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Mohamad Ibrahim as two prophets sent from God.
ما الذى تغير؟
Ezz el-Din Skury Fshir provides a historical analysis of the establishment of the modern nation-state to explain failures in forming efficient and organized polities in Egypt.
أوراق الضغط المصرية على إثيوبيا
Emad el-Din Hussain writes on Egypt’s negotiations with regional and international actors to pressure Ethiopia’s river dam project into a halt.
رسالة من الصحفى المعتقل بيتر غريستى
Imprisoned Australian journalist releases his second letter from Torah prison.
خطر التوقف عن استخدام العقل
Amr Hamzawy says that the praise al-Sisi is receiving from various social forces, including religious ones, is problematic in the sense that it might be an indicator of the rise of a new “pharaoh”.
يسرى السيد: لحظة تمرد
Yusry al-Sayyed reflects on Mubarak’s trial three years after his ouster.
«سقوط نظرية «إما أمريكا أو روسيا
Emad el-Din Hussain argues that Egypt’s strengthening alliances with Russia does not mean it is breaking ties with the United States.
موعد مع بوتين
Abdullah al-Sinawy analyzes Egypt-Russia’s relations in light of al-Sisi’s visit to Russia earlier this week.
نصدق مَنْ؟
Fahmi Huwaidy comments on Ministry of Interior’s denial that torture is a systematic practice on prisoners in Egypt.
الحشد الجماهيرى وبلد العميان
Sharif Gamal Salem writes on popular mobilization the Egyptian state has exploited throughout the last three years.
طارق غطاس: ماذا لو لم يترشح السيسي؟
Tarik Ghattas provides a hypothetical analysis of the implications of al-Sisi’s refusal to run for office.
من يملك صكوك الشهادة؟
Laura Gerbon focuses on state’s practices to change the public’s perceptions of those who fell during the eighteen-day uprising on 25 January 2011.
عقدة الإسلام السياسى تنتظر حلًا
Fahmi Huwaidy sheds light on ways to resolve the misperceptionson political Islam.
زمن السجون
Basma Abdelaziz says that the oppression revolutionaries currently face from authorities will not preclude them from seeking justice sometime in the future.
Recently on Jadaliyya Egypt:
Commemorating Janet Abu-Lughod
Sherene Seikaly says that Janet Abu-Lughod’s intellectual contributions and publications offered theoretical and empirical basis for students and academics alike to follow.
Before Theory: In Memory of Janet Abu-Lughod
Ananya Roy writes on Janet Abu-Lughod’s valuable methodological contributions in the field of comparative studies.
In Memoriam
Diane Singerman commemorates the memory of the late Janet Abu-Lughud through an analysis of her bookCair: 1001 Years of the City Victorious.
A Scholar Open to the World
Immanuel Wallerstein shares an excerpt of Janet Abu-Lughod’s publication titled Before European Hegemony: The World System, 1250-1360 A.D.
The Janet Abu-Lughod I Knew
Nezar AlSayyad writes on Janet Abu-Lughod’s classic article titled The Islamic City-Historic Myth Islamic Essence, and Contemporary Relevance.
A Gentle and Generous Mentor: Janet Abu-Lughod
Suad Joseph remembers Janet Abu-Lughod.
New Texts Out Now: VJ Um Amel, A Digital Humanities Approach: Text, the Internet, and the Egyptian Uprising
Jadaliyya interviews Laila Shereen Sakr/ VJ Um Amel on her recently published article in the Middle East Critique.
Cairo: The Myth of a City on the Verge of Explosion
Jon Argaman writes on political unwillingness to resolve social inequalities that are visible throughout Cairo.
القومية العربية في مصر: العرب من تابعين إلى أعداء
Nael al-Toukhi analyzes literary materials, music, and films produced in the 1960s and 1970s that reflect a tendency towards Arab nationalism.