Egypt Revolution 2011
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The Egyptian Revolution five years on
Ghosts of the uprising
25 January 2011 saw the start of the revolution in Egypt that led to the collapse of the Mubarak dictatorship. Today, the Egyptian writer Mansoura Ez-Eldin sees another regime in power staging an absurd drama of fear and oppression
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Gentrification in Egypt
Urban counter-revolution in Cairo
The "Reclaiming Downtown" campaign launched by the Egyptian government is no ordinary measure designed to advance the gentrification of the Cairo city centre. It is instead a politically motivated drive against any form of opposition and civilian autonomy. The "backyard of the revolution" is to be refurbished and its revolutionary history wiped out. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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Interview with the Egyptian DJ Mohammed Safi
Voice of the people
Cairo is a mecca for lovers of Arab underground and independent music. Although the government and the Egyptian Music Syndicate are constantly trying to intimidate bands and eliminate critical texts, Cairo′s music scene retains something of the spirit of the Egyptian revolution. Claudia Mende interviews Egyptian DJ and musician Mohammed Safi
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Repression and legitimation in Egypt
The world as Sisi sees it
A policy formula that only recognises two distinctions – those who are "for the regime" and those who are "against the regime", with the latter arguably grouped under the heading "potential terrorists" – is leading to widespread human rights violations and the persecution of those who hold different political views. A commentary by Thomas Demmelhuber
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Ahmad Abdalla′s film ″Decor″
Let the audience decide what′s real
"Decor," the latest film by the Egyptian director Ahmad Abdalla, is a tribute to the narrative power of cinema and to the eternal themes of freedom, love, and constraint. Christopher Resch watched the film
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Volker Perthes: "The end of the Middle East, as we know it"
The end of Sykes-Picot?
Almost a century ago, France and Britain carved up large swathes of the Middle East between them. Now the order imposed by the Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916 appears to be disintegrating. In his new essay, Volker Perthes outlines the reasons for this development and suggests potential scenarios for the region. A review by Anne Allmeling
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Popular unrest in the Middle East
Who says popular demand for change is off the agenda?
Recent protests in Beirut against government corruption and incompetence highlight a growing revival of non-violent dissent across the Middle East and North Africa. As well as an end to corruption, protesters in Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon have been taking to the streets demanding improvement in basic public services such as waste management, accountability and transparency. By James M. Dorsey
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Abducted civilians in Egypt
The disappeared
Again and again, one hears reports of young people simply disappearing in Egypt when out on the street, at university or out for dinner with friends. Esraa el-Taweel is one of them. After a protracted search, her family finally tracked her down in a Cairo prison. Elisa Rheinheimer-Chabbi has the details
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Art and revolution in the Arab world in 2015
Struggling against the restoration of "order"
Egypt's Al-Fann Midan (Art is a Public Square) festival, which took place for the first time in April 2011, was one of the most vibrant post-revolutionary spaces for public art in Egypt. But four years after millions of Egyptians took to the streets, the popular festival has disappeared. Marcia Lynx Qualey takes a closer look at the link between art and revolution in Egypt and the Arab world in 2015
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Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's state visit to Germany
A dictator in Berlin
The German government is receiving Egypt's President Sisi on a state visit this week. While the controversial visit is an honour for him, it might damage both counties. After all, while Sisi continues to stir up anti-Western sentiment at home, he is still reliant on the support of the US and the EU. By Annette Ranko
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Interview with the Egyptian choreographer Adham Hafez
The disappearance of the kiss
One of the highlights of Berlin's recent Return to Sender theatre festival was a performance of the futuristic piece "2065 BC" by the internationally renowned Egyptian choreographer Adham Hafez. Astrid Kaminski spoke to him about national identities and the arts scene in Cairo
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Culture and censorship in Egypt
Cairo's guardians of morality
Sex, religion and politics are like a red rag to a bull for Egyptian censors. This is particularly worrying for the country's creative artists, who have increasingly been subjected to censorship since President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi assumed power. By Elisabeth Lehmann in Cairo