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This handbook provides an overview of the society, culture, geography, history, and politics of contemporary Egypt.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Chapter 1: Geography -Introduction -Physical Landscapes -State Formation -Human Landscapes -Geopolitics -Conclusion Chapter 2: History -Chronology -Ancient Egypt -Hellenic and Roman Egypt -Medieval Egypt -Ottoman Egypt -Modern Egypt Chapter 3: Government and Politics -Independence & Egypt's Liberal Era: 1922-1952 -Hollow Substitutes for Democracy, 1952-1976 -Infitah Politics, mid-1970s-2000s -Dynamism & Stagnation in Recent Politics, 2000-present -Egypt's Court System -Conclusion Chapter 4: Economy -Overview -The Egyptian Economy Today -Egypt's Economic Structure Egypt's Industry -Egypt's Industrial Revolutions -Corruption and Revolution -Egypt's Industries after the Revolution Labor -Labor Market Conditions in 2012 -Labor Laws and Unemployment Trade, Finance, and Banque-Misr -The Egyptian Financial System -Recruiting Diverse Investors for Banque-Misr -Joint Stock Companies Established by Banque-Misr, 1929-1939 -Religious Guidelines for Banking -Banque-Misr Achievements, 1920-1960 -Trade and Finance 1960-2011 -January 2011 and its Impact on the Financial Situation Chapter 5: Society Religion and Thought -Islam: A Way of Life -Islam: The Basics -Islam: A Religion of Social Justice, The Origins -Islam: The Misunderstood Aspects -The Copts in Egypt -Forgotten Citizens: Jews of Egypt -We Cannot Be Citizens Because there is No Field -Popular Religion: Sufism & Other Trends Social Classes and Ethnicity -Ancient Egyptian Society: Setting the Stage -The Riddle of Modern Egyptian Identity -Race, Religion, & Class -Nineteenth Century Change -From the 1919 Revolution to the 1952 Revolution -Social Class in the Era of Infitah Women -Introduction -1800-1848 -1848-WWI -WWI, 1919 Revolution, & Egypt's Liberal Era -1952-Present -Culture, Religion, Marriage Education -Islamic, Coptic, & Jewish Traditional Education -The Birth of the Modern Educational System -The Egyptian Mind Occupied -Liberal Era -Education after the Revolution Chapter 6: Culture Language -A History -Language & Education -Arabic in Egypt Today -Glossary for traveler, student or businessperson Etiquette -Overview -Proverbs Literature -Writers in Poetry and Fiction -Respected Writers of the Past -The Woman's Role in Egyptian Life and Literature -Female Writers -Latest Trends and Writers -Literary Journals and Magazines -The New Literature: Literary Blogosphere and Online Presence -Authors in Exile -New Wave Publishers and Bookshops to Whet the Reader's Appetite Art and Architecture -Overview -Production and Reception of Egyptian Art -Egyptology and Egyptomania Egyptian Music -Ancient Egyptian Music -Coptic Music -Arab Music -Modern Music Food -From Ancient to Modern -Today's Table -Holiday Foods -Recipe Appendix Sports and Leisure -Introduction -Coffee, Tea, & Coffeehouses -Traditional Celebrations -Less Time for Fun & Games, New Venues for Play -Leveling the Playing Field -Soccer: The Great Rivalry & International Competition -Vacations and Leisure Popular, Youth, & Consumer Culture -Consuming Desires -New Shopping Districts -From Nationalization to Infitah -The Rise of the Mall & New Fashion Trends -The New Coffeehouse Culture -Internet Culture -Nightlife: Bars, Clubs, Discotecheques Performing Arts: Theater, Dance, Film -Theater: The Beginnings -Shadow Theater -From the French Invasion to the British Occupation -The Pinnacle of Egyptian Theater, 1882-1952 -Theater After the 1952 Revolution -Dance -Film Chapter 7: Contemporary Issues -Before & After the Revolution -25 January Movement -Peace with Israel and the Gaza Border -HIV/AIDS -Women, Population and the Controversy over Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) -The City of Garbage, Swine Flu, & the Culling of the Pigs -Sectarian Conflict -Death of Shaykh Tantawi, a Voice of Mediation -Jihad, the US-Egyptian Relations, & Hope in Oba-mania -Egypt: Solving Problems and the Little Car that Could -Kick Back, Relax, & Watch Glossary and Abbreviations Facts and Figures Holidays Chart Country-related Organizations Annotated Bibliography Thematic Index Index About the Author

About the Author

Mona Russell is associate professor of modern Middle East history at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, where she specializes in the history of women and gender in Egypt.

Reviews

Should become a useful companion for students and scholars of the region. Recommended.
*Choice*

A remarkable coverage, Russell's survey of Egyptian history, economy, and culture intrigues with its fact-filled introduction to a long-lived North African country. . . . Overall, a valuable resource suited to high school, public, and community college libraries.
*Booklist*

This reviewer highly recommends this overview of Egypt for all libraries. It covers the panoramic history and provides an update on all aspects of Egypt, as a crossroad of the world as well as a key player in the world and regional geopolitics, particularly in the Palestinian-Arab-Israeli conflict.
*ARBA*