Suchergebnisse

Egypt, once home to Pharaohs and the world's greatest civilization, is steeped in legend. Its more recent history however, is less well known. This comprehensive new guide to Egyptian history considers not only ancient Egypt's glory, but also its last two hundred years, discussing modernization and the evolution of the Egyptian state. Drawing on recent research the book offers an enriched understanding of the colorful country's remarkable past

The authors examine the emergence of nationalism among the Egyptian middle class during the 1930s and 1940s, and its growing awareness of an Arab and Muslim identity. Previously Egypt did not define itself in these terms, but adopted a territorial and isolationist outlook. It is the revolutionary transformation in Egyptian self-understanding which took place during this period that provides the focus of this study. The authors demonstrate how the growth of an urban middle class, combined with economic and political failures in the 1930s, eroded the foundations of the earlier order. Alongside domestic events, the momentum of Arabism abroad and the impact of events in Palestine, necessitated Egyptian regional involvement. Egypt's present position as a major player in Arab, Muslim and Third World affairs has its roots in the fundamental transition of Egyptian national identity at this time

In this study of the development of Egyptian nationalism during the early part of this century, the authors argue that it was slow to evolve because Islam constituted both a religious and a political community that did not recognize territorial boundaries.