Relaunching Jadaliyya’s Egypt Page

For years, the Egypt page took the helm here on Jadaliyya, and often brought our readers play-by-play reports and analysis when the situation(s) compelled us. As the years went by after 2013, writing on Egypt regressed with the dwindling spaces for voice and action. Recently, we have been motivated by renewed protests in Sudan and Algeria, Iraq and Lebanon, and in Egypt itself, albeit to a lesser extent. 

Something is afoot in the region. Pressures of different varieties are at play, and a new reality is setting in. Demographics, a weak labor market, and growing unemployment (especially among the youth), unfulfilled promises during the “post”-uprisings period, war and mayhem in Libya, Yemen, and Syria, burgeoning discontent in Iraq, growing tensions in the Persian Gulf, deepening of Israeli settler-colonialism in Palestine, violent score-settling in Syria, and an all-around uneasiness as to what the future might hold have all contributed to the uneven but certain resurgence of social action and movements around the region. Along with this rebirth, and considering information blackouts that have outlived their origins, we are embarking on the renewal of the Egypt Page.

Our relaunch features a centerpiece article by Abdel-Fattah Baryez, who analyzes the ruling establishment's growing reliance on repression in light of the economic predicaments it continues to face. Abdel-Fattah addresses and explains the grim prospect of political opening in the near future. We are also publishing an Arabic translation of this article, courtesy of Osama Esber. The launch features a NEWTON (New Texts Out Now) by Reem Abou-El-Fadl on her recently published book by Cambridge University Press, Foreign Policy as Nation Making: Turkey and Egypt in the Cold War. In addition, Salma K provides an ethnographic contribution, ‘Fixing for the Revolution’, on fixers in Egyptian journalism, and their role in assisting foreign correspondents amidst changing political conditions since the January 25 Revolution. As per our regular routine, we publish the timely Egypt Media Roundup as part of this launch. Finally, we continue our tradition from 2011 with a series of interviews with Wael Gamal, conducted by Bassam Haddad. The first is a broad discussion of various political and economic developments in Egypt since 2013, in which Wael addresses important pitfalls and turning points, as well as some valuable statistics. We hope to build on this array of content and expand our coverage in tandem with developments on the ground.

We invite you to join us in addressing, engaging, and/or debating developments in Egypt, not least beyond the political realm where much continues to happen on a daily basis. The arts and cultural dimension is rich, and other realms are also ripe with development and movement. Your contributions are welcome, in both English and Arabic. Please email us with your ideas at Egypt@Jadaliyya.com or submit directly via our portal here.

Egypt Page Relaunch Articles: