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Bassam Haddad

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Two Mundasseen Bidoun Banadoura

[Image from Jadaliyya archive]

After several botched attempts at jumpstarting a revolt against their respective regimes, would-be protesters in Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Oman put out a call to hire mundasseen (مندسّين infiltrators) to help saw strife and ignite protests. Currently, there are 173 such calls/ads roaming the web and social media. After witnessing the success of the mundasseen in wreaking havoc in Libya and Syria, protesters started forming a special task force in their respective ...

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The Role of Workers and Labor Unions in the Egyptian Revolution: Video Interview with Hossam Hamalawy (Part 1)

[Image from Jadaliyya interview]

Jadaliyya is hereby presenting the first (deliberately belated) installment in a series called "A Portrait of a Revolutionary," featuring interviews with an Egyptian journalist and activist who was at the forefront of the Egyptian protest movement, Hossam Hamalawy. Below is the first part of the interview, recorded in Arabic prior to Part 2 (on the role of the Egyptian army) and Part 3 (on the role of the Egyptial political and economic elite. ...

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Screening of "Arna's Children" in memory of Juliano Mer Khamis

[Event Flyer from Jadaliyya]

The Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies, The Middle East Studies Program, and The Middle East Etc. Film Club present a screening of Arna's Children in memory of Juliano Mer Khamis, this Sunday, April 10th, 1:00 pm, at George Mason University's Johnson Center's Cinema. Juliano, 52, who was the Artistic Director of The Jenin Freedom Theater and the co-director of the award-winning documentary Arna’s Children, was shot by unknown assailants ...

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The Meaning of "Syrian Opposition Figures Urge Peaceful Change" Story from Reuters

[Image from Reuters' www.Reuters.com]

This (report from Reuters here and below) is not an insignificant call from the traditionally vociferous leadership of the opposition, including those who were imprisoned for years after the botched "Damascus Spring" after 2001. The likes of Michel Kilo and `Arif Dalila were among the most outspoken critics for years. I watched Dalila make public condemnations of the regime's corruption in public panels on Syria's political economy in 1998, 1999, and 2000, when ...

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The Egyptian Elite and the Egyptian Revolt: Video Interview with Hossam El-Hamalawy (Part 3)

[Image from Jadaliyya interview with Hossam El-Hamalawy]

Jadaliyya is hereby presenting the third installment in a interactive (see below) series called "A Portrait of a Revolutionary," featuring interviews with an Egyptian journalist and activist who was at the forefront of the Egyptian protest movement. Hossam's vantage point is quite unique, and his broad knowledge of the Egyptian political landscape as well as history positions him to provide an unparalleled account of the the context and developments that have ...

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Why Syria Is not Next . . . so far [With Arabic Translation]

[Image from author's archive]

As millions of Arabs stir their respective countries with demonstrations and slogans of change and transition, certain Arab states have been generally spared, including some oil rich countries and Syria. Syria stands out as a powerful regional player without the benefit of economic prosperity and with a domestic political climate that leaves a lot to be desired. Some say it combines the heavy-handedness of the Tunisian regime, the economic woes of Egypt, the hereditary rule ...

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A Portrait of a Revolutionary: Hossam El-Hamalawy on the Role of the Egyptian Army (Part 2)

[Hossam El-Hamalawy. Image from Jadaliyya Interview]

Jadaliyya is hereby presenting the first installment in a interactive (see below) series called "A Portrait of a Revolutionary," featuring interviews with an Egyptian journalist and activist who was at the forefront of the Egyptian protest movement. Hossam's vantage point is quite unique, and his broad knowledge of the Egyptian political landscape as well as history positions him to provide an unparalleled account of the the context and developments that have ...

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What Really Bothered Qaddafi (Speech Excerpt with Translation)

[Image from Qaddafi's Customarily Concise Speech]

On February 22nd, Qaddafi delivered a televised speech in which he appeared troubled and angry. Most observers assumed he was such because of his imminent dethroning. But that was not what was bothering him. Taking a break from superficial analysis at Jadaliyya, we put our minds to the task and excavated the phonetic meaning of his angry speech, captured by its finale.

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Another Take on Suleiman's Mubarak's Resignation Speech (Jadaliyya Video)

[Image from Egyptian State Television]

On February 11th, Vice President Omar Suleiman gave Mubarak's resignation speech, a speech that we had to see over and over, and over, again. Here it is, with a more accurate translation. (This video is dedicated to all the brave protesters who faced Suleiman and Mubarak's thugs with their bodies, and died for the freedom of others)

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Two Down . . . As Mubarak Steps Down [Ongoing Post]

[image from Jadaliyya]

[11:10 am EST] Husni Mubarak steps down as President of Egypt after a 30-year reign, and power is transferred to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. It appears that Omar Suleiman, the recently appointed Vice President, will have no role in the emerging political formula, but details have not yet surfaced. The implications are grand, for Egypt, and beyond. But the jubilation at this moment must be reserved for Egyptians who struggled for decades and brought the symbol ...

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Personal Posts

Homsi Comic Relief Speaks of Strong Spirits Despite All

[Screen shot from Video]

Two youngish Syrian men in Homs discuss "Bashar's Reforms" (islahaat) while pointing to the destruction of their homes (we don't know if these are indeed their homes, but that's immaterial here) and cars.  The script itself is clean and elegant as it is acerbically satirical. (though some of the comments under the Youtube video are disturbingly/disgustingly sectarian). There really is nothing to say except that it is worth watching. I apologize for not ...

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welcome back . . .

[Image from unknown archive]

I was just flying back from Amman to Washington DC on United Airlines, sitting at an aisle seat. As I looked to my left diagonally across the aisle, I saw four UA screens playing the same film, Sex in the City (2). (read reviews here, here, and here, though they don't all do justice to it--if you have other piercing reviews, please post them in the comments section. Watch the trailer here). I looked to the lady sitting to my right, and she's reading a book, which seemed to ...

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What's With World Cup Praying?

Ronaldo to the right

I don't have time to write about this now, but what's with world cup praying on behalf of so many players in the field (especially those coming in and out)? I've been watching football (the original football where one mostly uses their feet--the plural of foot, hence, "footbal"--not the sport where one mostly holds the ball using their hands) since 1974, and I have yet to witness such frequency of praying and exhibition of religious symbols. Could the economist be ...

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Bio

Bassam Haddad
 
 

Bassam Haddad is Director of the Middle East Studies Program and teaches in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University, and is Visiting Professor at Georgetown University. He is the author of Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience (Stanford University Press, 2011). Bassam is currently editing a volume on Teaching the Middle East After the Arab Uprisings, a book manuscript on pedagogical and theoretical approaches. His most recent books include two co-edited volumes: Dawn of the Arab Uprisings: End of an Old Order? (Pluto Press, 2012) and Mediating the Arab Uprisings (Tadween Publishing, 2013). Bassam serves as Founding Editor of the Arab Studies Journal a peer-reviewed research publication and is co-producer/director of the award-winning documentary film, About Baghdad, and director of the critically acclaimed film series, Arabs and Terrorism, based on extensive field research/interviews. More recently, he directed a film on Arab/Muslim immigrants in Europe, titled The "Other" Threat. Bassam is Co-Founder/Editor of Jadaliyya Ezine and serves on the Editorial Committee of Middle East Report. He is the Executive Director of the Arab Studies Institute, an umbrella for five organizations dealing with knowledge production on the Middle East and Founding Editor of Tadween Publishing.

 

 

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