The Mubarak regime portrayed itself as guardian of a more nationalist and secular vision of the state against Islamist extremism.
Paradoxically, it simultaneously employed Islamist discourses to legitimize its rule and relied on Islamist forces to stabilize the country by providing services to citizens. Both nationalist and Islamist discourses were used to legitimize an untenable neoliberal cultural and political project, where the ‘good citizen’ is expected to adhere to correct religious teachings, lift the country into progress and development, assist the less fortunate and ‘lead an economic life in a new world based on competition’.
Based on a reading of nationally-unified school textbooks before 2011, and key changes until 2014, this article traces constructions of official Egyptian nationalism and the practices of government underlying them. The analysis suggests that continued reliance on these discourses and modes of government will recreate the crisis of legitimacy that led to the overthrow of Mubarak.
The seminar will be led by Hania Sobhy, Ph.D. and start at 6pm.
Hania Sobhy completed her PhD in Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies and her BA and MA in Economics and Political Science at McGill University. She has taught Middle East Politics, International Relations, International Politics of Economic Relations and Comparative Politics at SOAS, Exeter and McGill. Her research interests include citizenship, nationalism and the governance of social services in the Arab region, especially in relation to the education sector, electoral mobilization in Egypt since 2011 and aspects of Islamist and post-Islamist discourses.