Socio-Political Practices Under Mubarak

Menshawy, Mustafa

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-50121-5_5

Mustafa Menshawy⁴

Part of the book series: Middle East Today ((MIET))

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Abstract

The chapter examines the socio-politics which lie behind the textual patterns identified during the rule of Mubarak such as political dynamics and the inner workings of the regime. These socio-politics include change and continuities with the previous regime of Sadat such as ‘authoritarianism’ both in the political and media systems. Seeking further ‘narrative fidelity’ of the war discourse, the author explains the role of other ‘ideological state apparatuses’ which include more formalised, object-based and nationally evocative instruments such as the Cairo-based ‘Panorama’ museum and school textbooks.

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Notes

1.
Lisa Laydes, Elections and Distributive Politics in Mubarak’s Egypt (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011), p. 27.
2.
Steven Heydemann, ‘Upgrading Authoritarianism in the Arab World’, Analysis Paper, Centre for Middle East Policy Analysis, 13 (2007), 1–38 (28).
3.
Maye Kassem ‘Democratization: Reforms as a Means of Stabilizing Authoritarian’, in Democratisation and Development: New Political Strategies for the Middle East, ed. by Dietrich Jung (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006), pp. 129–151 (p. 130). There has been no formal limitation on presidential terms since 1980. According to Article 77 of the 1971 Constitution, there was a two-term limitation, but the law was amended in 1980 so that Sadat could enter his term.
4.
Mubarak interview, cited in Roger Owen, ‘Socio-Economic Change and Political Mobilisation: The Case of Egypt’, in Democracy Without Democrats: The Renewal of Politics in the Muslim World ed. Ghassan Salame (London: I.B.Tauris, 1994), pp. 183–199 (p. 189).
5.
British Broadcasting Corporation, ‘Summary of World Broadcasts,’ 15 February 1987, cited in Kassem, p. 27.
6.
Kassem, ‘Democratization: Reforms as a Means of Stabilizing’, pp. 129–151 (p. 27).
7.
Ibid., p. 28.
8.
Kassem, ‘Democratization: Reforms as a Means of Stabilizing’, pp. 129–151 (p. 28).
9.
Ibid.
10.
Ibid.
11.
Maye Kassem, In the Guise of Democracy: Governance in Contemporary Egypt (London: Ithaca Press 1999), p. 60.
12.
Kassem, Egyptian Politics, p. 29.
13.
Ibid.
14.
Ibid., p. 36.
15.
Ibid., p. 37.
16.
http://www.aljazeera.net/specialfiles/pages/46609207-599c-4f9d-ad6e-618fec866c14 [accessed on 2 September 2014].
17.
Kassem, Egyptian Politics, p. 37.
18.
Fernand Braudel, On History (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press 1982), p. 69.
19.
Ibid., p. 67.
20.
Nazih Ayubi, ‘Government and the State in Egypt Today’, in Egypt Under Mubarak, ed. by Charles Tripp and Roger Owen (London and New York, NY: Routledge, 1989), pp. 1–20 (p. 12).
21.
Ibid., p. 12.
22.
Ibid., p. 14.
23.
Fatos Tarifa, ‘The Quest for Legitimacy and the Withering Away of Utopia’, Social Forces, 1997, 76, p. 447.
24.
Derek Hopwood, Egypt: Politics and Society: 1945–90, 3rd edition, (London and New York, NY: Routledge, 1993), p. 192.
25.
Hopwood, Egypt: Politics and Society, p. 189.
26.
Ibid.
27.
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/02/11/the-rise-and-fall-of-mubarak/ [accessed on 2 September 2014].
28.
http://www.sis.gov.eg/Ar/Templates/Articles/tmpArticles.aspx?ArtID=28284#.Vga1LzZdHIU [accessed on 2 September 2014].
29.
Hazem Kandil, ‘Back on Horse? The Military Between Two Revolutions’, in Arab Spring in Egypt: Revolution and Beyond, ed. Bahgat Korany and Rabab El-Mahdi (Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2012), pp. 175–198 (p. 182).
30.
Ibid.
31.
Mona El-Ghobashy, ‘The Dynamics of Elections Under Mubarak’, in The Journey to Tahrir: Revolution, Protest and Social Change in Egypt, ed. Jeannie Sowers and Chris Toesing (London, New York, NY: Verso, 2012), pp. 132–148, p. 132.
32.
Ibid.
33.
Jennifer Ghandi and Ellen Lust-Okar, ‘Elections Under Authoritarianism’, Annual Review of Political Science, 12 (June 2009), 403–422.
34.
Rugh, Arab Mass Media, p. 157.
35.
http://anhri.net/reports/pressfreedom/06.shtml
36.
http://anhri.net/reports/pressfreedom/06.shtml
37.
Committee to Protect Journalists made the update in a letter to Mubarak, cited Rugh, Arab Mass Media, p. 159.
38.
See Naomi Sakr, Transformations in Egyptian Journalism (London: I.B.Tauris, 2013).
39.
Edward Webb, Media in Egypt and Tunisia: From Control to Transition? (New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), p. 40.
40.
Ibid.
41.
Ibid., p. 41.
42.
Ibid.
43.
Ibid.
44.
Nael Shama, Egyptian Foreign Policy From Mubarak to Morsi: Against the National Interest (London: Routledge, 2014), pp. 184–185.
45.
Nabil Dajani, ‘Arab Press, In Arab Media Arab Media: Globalization and Emerging Media Industries (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2011), pp. 45–66, p. 52.
46.
Ibid.
47.
Webb, Media in Egypt and Tunisia, p. 44.
48.
Ibid.
49.
Ibid.
50.
Ibid.
51.
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2007/09/13/39078.html [accessed on 25 June 2015].
52.
Webb, Media in Egypt, p. 45.
53.
Ibid.
54.
Ibid.
55.
Andrew Hammond, Political Culture in the Arab World (Cairo: Cairo University Press, 2002), p. 85, cited in Noha Mellor and others, Arab Media Arab Media: Globalization and Emerging Media Industries (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2011), p. 52.
56.
Abdel-Azeem Hammad: Al-Thawra al-Taiha: Serah al-Khuza wal-Lihyya wal-Maydan, Tu’yat Shahed Ayan (Cairo: Dar al-Mahroussa, 2013), p. 41.
57.
Ibid.
58.
Ibid., p. 38.
59.
Ibid.
60.
Ibid., p. 40.
61.
Ibid., p. 42.
62.
The author’s interview with Osama Saraya, London, phone, 5 June 2016.
63.
The author’s interview with Osama Saraya, London, phone, 5 June 2016.
64.
The author’s interview with Abdu Omar, London, phone, 3 June 2016.
65.
http://www.vetogate.com/1739237
66.
The author’s interview with Gamal Affifi, Cairo, 16 June 2014.
67.
The author’s interview with Samir Farag, London, phone, 10 June 2016.
68.
http://www.alarab.co.uk/?id=80769
69.
The author’s interview with Mohamed El-Ghubary, London, phone, 1 June 2016.
70.
The author’s interview with Mohamed El-Ghubary, London, phone, 1 June 2016.
71.
The author’s interview with Mohamed El-Ghubary, London, phone, 1 June 2016.
72.
The author’s interview with Mohamed El-Ghubary, London, phone, 1 June 2016.
73.
The author’s interview with Gamal Afiffi, Cairo, 15 June 2014.
74.
The author’s interview with Galal Nassar, Cairo, 21 June 2014.
75.
The author’s interview with a senior journalist in Al-ahram, speaking on condition of anonymity, Cairo, 25 June 2014.
76.
The author’s interview with Makram Mohamed Ahmed, Cairo, 17 September 2016.
77.
The author’s interview with an editor-in-chief, Cairo, 17 September 2016. He refused to mention his name.
78.
Cited in Rugh, Arab Mass Media, p. 161.
79.
Al-akhbar, 4 October 1984, p. 10.
80.
Hany Aziz, October wa Istiadat Ruh al-Tahadi wal Wataniyya, Al-akhbar, 18 October 2010. Source: Al-ahram archives.
81.
Ibrahim El-Boushi, Nasr October wa Bawabat al-Salam wal Tanmiyya, Al-Ta’wun, 5 October 2010.
82.
Ibrahim El-Boushi, Nasr October wa Bawabat al-Salam wal Tanmiyya, Al-Ta’wun, 5 October 2010.
83.
See the weekly issue of Al-Ahaly, 10 October 1990.
84.
E. J. Hobsbawm, On History (London: Abacus, 1998), p. 47.
85.
Ibid.
86.
Hayden White, ‘The Value of Narrativity in the Representation of Reality’, Critical Inquiry, 7, 1 (Autumn 1980), pp. 5–27.
87.
Mohamed Sabri Mahsoub and others, Misr: Beyatana wa Tarikhana al-Hadith [Egypt: Our Environment and modern history] (Cairo: Matabe’ Maglis al-Difaa al-Watani, 2010), pp. 101–102.
88.
Abdel-Aziz Nawar and others, Al-Tarikh leil Thanawiya al-Amma [History for the secondary school] (Cairo: The Ministry of Education, 1995/1996), p. 254.
89.
Attia El-Qussi and others, Alhadara al-Islamiyya wa tarikh al-Arab al-Hadith [The Islamic Civilisation and the modern history of Arabs] (Cairo, the Ministry of Education, 2007/2008), p. 237.
90.
Abdel-Aziz Nawar and others, Al-Tarikh leil Thanawiya al-Amma [History for the secondary school] (Cairo: The Ministry of Education, 1995/1996), p. 255.
91.
Gamal Hammad and Abdel-Azeem Ramadan, Mulhaq al-Tarikh leil Thanwiyya al-A’mma: al-Hekba al-Libralliyya al-Democratiyya, (Cairo: Norbak, 2000–2001), p. 62.
92.
Ibid., p. 62.
93.
Abdel-Aziz Soliman Nawar and Brince Ahmed Radwan, Tarikh Misr al-Hadith (Cairo: Al-Hayaa al-‘ma lei Shoon al-Matab’ al-Amiriyya, 1988–1989), p. 170.
94.
Ibid., p. 171.
95.
Ibid.
96.
Ewan Stein, Representing Israel in Modern Egypt (London: I.B.Tauris: 2012), p. 20.
97.
’Assem El-Dessouki and others, Tarikh Misr wal-Arab al-Hadith (Cairo: 1991), pp. 190–192. See also Soliman and Radwan, Tarikh Misr al-Hadith, pp. 158 and 163.
98.
Soliman and Radwan, Tarikh Misr al-Hadith, pp. 178–179.
99.
Soliman and Radwan, Tarikh Misr al-Hadith, pp. 178–179.
100.
This is an excerpt of one of Sadat’s speeches in which he addressed the members of the ruling party at a convention as ‘sons and daughters’. http://www.moqatel.com/openshare/Wthaek/Khotob/Khotub8/AKhotub122_7-1.htm_cvt.htm [accessed on 3 September 2014].
101.
Mohamed Ebrahim El-Dessouki and others, Al-Derasat al-Ijtimi’aiyya leil Daf al-Thaleth al-Thanawi (Cairo; the Ministry of Education, 1982–1993), pp. 231–233.
102.
For examples, see Abdel-Aziz Nawar and others, Al-Tarikh leil Thanawiya al-Amma [History for the secondary school] (Cairo: The Ministry of Education, 1995/1996), p. 251, Attia El-Qussi and others, Alhadara al-Islamiyya wa tarikh al-Arab al-Hadith [The Islamic Civilisation and the modern history of Arabs] (Cairo, the Minsitry of Education, 2007/2008), p. 236.
103.
Nawar and Radwan, Tarikh Misr al-Hadith, p. 158.
104.
Ibid., p. 160.
105.
Ibid., pp. 163 and 179.
106.
Mohamed and others, Al-Derasat al-Ijtimi’aiyya, p. 233 and Nawar and Radwan, Tarikh Misr al-Hadith, p. 178.
107.
Ibid.
108.
Mohamed and others, al-Derasat al-Ijtimi’aiyya, p. 233. The textbook argued that infiltrating Israeli forces met with ‘military and public resistance, so the Israeli forces failed to occupy Suez’ (ibid.).
109.
Hammad and Ramadan, Mulhaq al-Tarikh, p. 58.
110.
Nawar and others, Tarikh Misr wal-Arab al-Hadith, p. 190.
111.
Soliman and Radwan, Tarikh Misr al-Hadith, p. 158.
112.
Mohamed and others, al-Derasat al-Ijtimi’aiyya, p. 233.
113.
Hammad and Ramadan, Mulhaq al-Tarikh, p. 51.
114.
Ibid., p. 59.
115.
Tarikh al-Arab al-Hadith wal-Muaser leil Saf al-Thalith al-Thanawi (Cairo, Dar al-Taawun, 1984), p. 181, Abdel-Aziz Nawar and others, Al-Tarikh leil Thanawiyya la-Ama, al-marhala al-Thania (Cairo: Rose al-Youssef publishing, 1995–1996), p. 255.
116.
Ibid., pp. 180, 192, 255.
117.
Ahmed Ezzat Abdel-Kareem and others, Tarikh al-Arab al-Hadeeth wal Muaser (Cairo: Dar al-Taawun: 1977), pp. 162 and 161.
118.
The author’s interview with a member of the curriculum consultation office at the Ministry of Education, speaking on condition of anonymity, Cairo, 6 August 2015.
119.
Attia El-Qussi and others, Tarikh Misr al-Hadith leil Saf al-Thalith al-Thanawi (Cairo: The Ministry of Education, 2013–2014), p. 153.
120.
Ibid., p. 154.
121.
Ibid.
122.
Ibid.
123.
The author’s interview with ’Assem El-Dessouki, over phone, London, 25 September 2015.
124.
Ibid.
125.
Ibid.
126.
Morsi Atallah, 6 October: Harb al-Sit Sanawat (Cairo: al-Hayaa al-Misriyaa al-A’ama leil Kitab, 1998), p. 15.
127.
Ibid., p. 123.
128.
Ibid., p. 240.
129.
Taha El-Magdoub, Harb October: Tariq al-Salam (Cairo: State Information Service, 1993), p. 49.
130.
Ibid., p. 186.
131.
Kamaleddin Abul Azayem, Leman Turfa’ al-Rayaat: Fi Zekra Muror Ashr Sanawat ala Harb October (Ramadan) 1973 (Cairo: Edarat al-Matbu’aat wal Nashr leil Quwat al-Musalaha, 1983), p. 91.
132.
Ibid., p. 105.
133.
Ibid., p. 107.
134.
Ibid., p. 87.
135.
Ibid., p. 93.
136.
Ibid., p. 95.
137.
Youssef Affifi, Abtal al-Firqa 19: Muqatelon Fawqa al-‘ada (Cairo: Dar al-Safwa, 1992), pp. 40 and 51.
138.
Ibid., p. 65.
139.
Atallah, p. 216.
140.
In an interview with Moussa Sabri, Ghamsy admitted, for the first time, that the thagra was a ‘tactical success for Israel, but it was a step doomed strategically as it could not have overrun the strategic failure of the enemy’, Sabri, Wataha’iq Harb Uktubir, p. 439.
141.
Abdu Mubasher, Asrar wa Hakaik al-Huroub al-Misriyya al-Isra’iliyya (Cairo: al-Hayaa al-Misriyaa al-‘ama leil Kitab, 2007), p. 294.
142.
Ibid., p. 338.
143.
Ibid., pp. 40 and 42.
144.
Ibid., pp. 56 and 30.
145.
Atallah, p. 157.
146.
Ibid., p. 124.
147.
Ibid., p. 29.
148.
Ibid., p. 27.
149.
Ibid.
150.
Ibid., p. 18.
151.
Ibid. 23.
152.
Ibid., p. 42.
153.
Ibid., p. 31.
154.
Khalil, Egyptian Mass Media Under Nasser and Sadat, p. 1, quoted from Kol Al-Arab, 4 May 1983.
155.
Ibid., p. 1.
156.
Ibid.
157.
Ibid., p. 2, taken from Al-ahram, 2 May 1983.
158.
http://www.albayan.ae/books/from-arab-library/2013-05-24-1.1889526 [accessed on 2 September 2015].
159.
Meital, ‘Sadat’s Grave and the Commemoration of the 1973 War in Egypt’ in National Symbols, Fractured Identities: Contesting the National Narrative, ed. by Michael E. Geisler (Hanover and London: University Press of New England, 2005), 222–240 (p. 235).
160.
http://www.sis.gov.eg/Ar/Templates/Articles/tmpArticles.aspx?CatID=5297#.Vf7XHzZRHIU [accessed on 2 September 2015].
161.
http://today.almasryalyoum.com/article2.aspx?ArticleID=355782 [accessed on 5 September 2015].
162.
Ibid.
163.
Meital, ‘Who is Egypt’s ‘Hero of War and Peace’’, 150–183 (p. 164).
164.
Arab Republic of Egypt, Ministry of Defence, Panorama: The Epic of the 10th Ramadan 1393, 6th October 1973 (Cairo, n.d.), p. 12, cited by Meital, 150–183 (p. 165).
165.
Ibid.
166.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PD3p9vExvo [accessed on 2 September 2015].
167.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nffT2oODKqQ [accessed on 2 September 2015].
168.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozz35UwYv_w [accessed on 2 September 2015].
169.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXFKPJurqIo [accessed on 2 September 2015].
170.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI7Zf32e9ds [accessed on 2 September 2015].
171.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tev6NA2Pd-0 [accessed on 2 September 2015].
172.
Ibid.
173.
http://www.youm7.com/story/0000/0/0/-/379100#.Vf8h-DZRHIV [accessed on 2 September 2015].
174.
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%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83-%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%86--%D8%BA%D9%84%D8%B7%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A-.html [accessed on 2 September 2015].

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Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Westminster, London, UK
Mustafa Menshawy

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Menshawy, M. (2017). Socio-Political Practices Under Mubarak. In: State, Memory, and Egypt’s Victory in the 1973 War. Middle East Today. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50121-5_5

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50121-5_5
Published: 05 April 2017
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