Egypt Revolution 2011
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Profile of the Egyptian Writer Salwa Bakr
The Voice of the Marginalized
Salwa Bakr is an unassuming literary star. Not a natural self-promoter, the Egyptian writer is nevertheless one of her nation's best known authors at international level. She has written 18 books, many of which have gained international recognition and been translated into nine languages. By Claudia Mende
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Cairo's Shanty District of Ramlet Bulak
Slumdogs vs. Billionaire
Egypt's richest man, Naguib Sawiris, has cast his eye upon the Cairo slum district of Ramlet Bulak. The police want to vacate the area and are terrorizing its inhabitants. Yet, residents refuse to give up the fight. A report by Markus Symank
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Profile of the Egyptian Comic Illustrator Ahmed Omar
''The View from the Other Side''
Comic illustrator Ahmed Omar is primarily known for his cartoons in "El-Doshma". His comics address the issues of corruption, injustice – and the search for a better life. Matthias Sailer introduces the artist
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Eugene Rogan on Arab History and the Arab Spring
''The Subordination of the Arab World May Be Ending''
Eugene Rogan's "The Arabs" has been hailed as a standard work on the history of the Arab people. In this interview with Jan Kuhlmann, the Oxford historian talks about foreign domination of the Arab world, the Arab spring, and his optimism for the Arab world
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Egyptian Writer Alaa al-Aswani
Democracy Is the Solution!
The well-known Egyptian writer and activist Alaa al-Aswani praises the President for his decision to replace the country's two top military generals. But, he says, Mohammed Mursi must now prove that he is really serious about establishing democracy in Egypt
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Changes in Egypt's Military Leadership
Mursi Reaches Agreement with the Generals
The changes in the Egyptian military leadership are not the result of a "civilian putsch", says Stephan Roll of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). They are rather the result of a long-planned changeover from one generation to the next, in which the generals will continue to hold a veto in any future political system
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The Supreme Military Council in Egypt Loses Its Power
The Old Guard Steps Down
The political disempowerment of the supreme military leadership in Egypt must be the most important event since the fall of the former president, Hosni Mubarak. For the first time in the recent history of the country, a civilian president has issued a ruling which publicly confronts the military. By Karim El-Gawhary
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Egypt after the Election of Mohammed Mursi
The New Third Force
The revolutionaries in Egypt are strong and have achieved much over the past 18 months. They are, however, politically disorganized. In this opinion piece, Ziyad al-Alimi says that because Egyptians are looking for an alternative not only to the Mubarak regime but also to the Muslim Brotherhood, it would be best for the revolutionaries to take a third path between the two major blocs
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Electoral Reform in Jordan
Reading the Political Tea Leaves
The behaviour of Jordan's Royal Court in the days following the official announcement of the victory of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Mursi in Egypt's presidential election tells an intriguing story. At first, Jordan's King Abdullah II hesitated to sign a long-sought-after election law. This was followed by approval of the law, a request for its revision and a surprise official meeting with the leader of Hamas. Daoud Kuttab explains what is going on
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Egypt's Future following the Election of Mohammed Mursi
Have No Fear, Democracy is Here!
In this essay, leading Egyptian youth activist Ziyad al-Alimi argues that millions of Egyptians only voted for Mohammed Mursi to prevent a return to the Mubarak system. He says that instead of viewing it as a setback, the election result should be seen as marking the start of a democratic breakthrough
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Egypt's Democratic Perspectives
A Shroud for the Revolution?
Egypt's revolutionaries have scotched the military agenda by throwing their weight behind Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi, says renowned Egyptian author Mansoura Ez-Eldin. But if they are to again seize the political initiative, they must now regroup and revise their strategy to date.
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The Election of Mohamed Morsi in Egypt
A President without Power
In the end, fears of a popular backlash were just too great: Egypt's military council was forced to sacrifice its favourite Ahmed Shafiq to safeguard its extensive economic and political interests. But the powers of the new president remain reduced to the bare minimum. An analysis by Matthias Sailer in Cairo