Q&A: Brotherhood's Spokesman Talks Power, Polls, Parliament, and Presidency

Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghazlan speaks to Ahram Online about poll results; incoming parliament; recent clashes; democratic transition; crime and punishment; presidential elections; and the Salafist question. Dr Mahmoud Ghazlan is an official spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, the political arm of which – the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) – performed even better than expected in the first two rounds of voting in Egypt’s first post-Mubarak parliamentary polls. The FJP has so far secured ...

New Texts Out Now: Rhoda Ann Kanaaneh and Isis Nusair, Displaced at Home

Rhoda Ann Kanaaneh and Isis Nusair, editors, Displaced at Home: Ethnicity and Gender among Palestinians in Israel. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2010. Jadaliyya: What made you write this book? Rhoda Ann Kanaaneh and Isis Nusair: The idea for the collection began at an informal gathering of five friends, all doctoral students or recent graduates and all Palestinians from “inside.” We had gathered for lunch during the 2005 Middle East Studies Association meeting to catch up on each ...

27 December 2008: The Al Ashi Family

[The following is the first narrative within a series of twenty-three narratives to mark the third anniversary of "Operation Cast Lead." A new post will be released each day, marking the incident that happened on the same date three years ago. The narratives are developed by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights.]  “For the upcoming anniversary of the war, me and other women who lost husbands in the attack plan to give gifts to orphans who lost their fathers during the war. The ...

Letter from Istanbul Bakirkoy Women's Prison

[An October 2011 report on the so-called “KCK operations,” carried out in Turkey by Prime Minister Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party for the past two years, noted that the Erdoğan government has been using the judiciary, the police, and the media to penalize all civic activism in support of rights demanded by Kurdish citizens in Turkey. Since 2009, as many as 7748 people have been taken under custody on the alleged grounds that they are associated with the KCK—an organization ...

Q&A: Freed @Alaa talks Prison, Parliament, and Egypt's Future

Upbeat as ever, newly released activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah speaks to Ahram Online about his experience inside Tora Prison and Egypt's current political situation. At his parents’ house amid an exceptionally cheerful atmosphere, prominent blogger Alaa Abdel-Fattah on Monday received a multitude of press and television reporters, as well as supporters and friends, only one day after his release from military detention. As people congratulated him, the activist spoke of his experience and views about ...

"No Room for Palestinian Artist": An Interview with Larissa Sansour

The following three photos are part of The Nation Estate project by Larissa Sansour. The Project "is a sci-fi photo series conceived in the wake of the Palestinian bid for nationhood at the UN. Three preliminary sketches have been developed especially for the Lacoste Elysée Prize 2011" (Sansour). Her instalation, proposed to the Musee de l'Elysee in Switzerland was censored by Lacoste, the funder of the exhibit for being "too pro Palestinian."  "Set within a grim piece of ...

The Ultras and the Egyptian Revolution

A new book describes the bravery shown by Egyptian Ultras throughout the Revolution and the passion for football that ties them together. Kitab al-Ultras (The Ultras Book) by Mohamed Gamal Besheer, Cairo: Dar Diwan, 2011. pp 222 The heroic role played by the Ultras during the eighteen-day uprising and during the various violent clashes that have taken place in Egypt since January between the security police, the army and demonstrators have gained legendary status. This is the first book in Arabic ...

Patriotism, Democracy, and Revolution in Syria and Beyond: An Interview with Tha'ir Deeb

Congratulations to the Syrian writer and translator Tha’ir Deeb. What is currently happening in Syria right now was a dream of his that landed him in jail back in 1987, which led to his being tortured and having his toes hacked off. The following is how he described the change for which he has “dedicated his life and work” in an online interview: “I recognized that the need had become pressing to change the horrible existing reality. I used to wonder where this change was going to come from, always ...

The Palestinian People

A New Phase? Syria Roundup [Updated]

[This post, originally started earlier this week, will be updated as matters develop after today's bombing. Last Update: 4:00 PM, Washington DC time] Two car bombings rocked the greater city of Damascus this morning, targeting two security services branches--a first occurrence on such scale since the 1980s. The Syrian government says these were terrorist/suicide bombings, while others, mostly in the opposition, are holding the regime itself responsible for the attacks. The United States condemned the ...

The Army and the Economy in Egypt

[This is a translation of a Jadaliyya article that was originally published in Arabic. Click here to access the Arabic version.] Should the production of pasta, mineral water, butane gas cylinders, and gas station services qualify as classified military secrets? And does discussing these enterprises in public pass as a crime of high treason? The leaders of the Egyptian Armed Forces believe the answer is “yes.”  Until this very day, the role of the military establishment in the economy ...