Contemporary Egypt, Its Culture and Its Women

Course Description

Egypt is and has been central in the theater of world events from Ancient times to the present. Egypt’s contemporary culture is a product of multitudes of developments and influences that its people continuously live through and experience. Life in Egypt, especially in the large metropolitan urban centers, and particularly in Cairo, is a barometer of the latest ideas and trends that sweep through the Middle East.  As we seek to understand major aspects of life and culture of modern-day Egyptians and particularly Egyptian women, we realize that women have always been an integral part of the Egyptian society.  In order to study them and their status, role, and situation we also need to touch upon the different historical, political, and economic forces that have shaped the culture of all Egyptians, including the social and religious issues that have been central during the modern transformation of Egypt.   We also examine how Egyptian women are portrayed in films and the ramifications of such portrayal.  By studying contemporary Egyptian culture, students also start to gain an understanding of the rest of the Arab and the Muslim world. Because it is the largest producer of movies and television programs in the region, all other Arabic-speaking people grow up watching Egyptian movies and programs. Each week we discuss a selection of readings from relevant books and memoirs, as well as articles from contemporary print, internet sites, broadcast journalism, and films.  We address many of the major topics of social thought in Egypt in the modern period, including democracy and development, nationalism, Islam and Muslim political trends, relations between Muslims and Christians, and the status of women.