This award-winning novel, originally published in Arabic in 2013, is set in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, yet is clearly relevant to post-revolution Egypt and life under the regime of Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. A centralized authority known as the…
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In this song, rock band Cairokee put to music “Al-ahzan al-‘adeyya” (Ordinary Sorrows, 1981) by legendary vernacular poet Abdel Rahman al-Abnoudi. Abnoudi's poem paints a picture of defiance in the of face of oppression: 'We’re the people who get hit…
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This satirical song was released in February 2018, criticising the 4-year rule of President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi, telling him that 'enough is enough'. Sisi is referred to as "balaha", which literally means 'date' (as in the fruit) but also refers to…
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Through this song, Yasser Elmanawehly, one of the voices of the 2011 revolution, expresses his dismay at the erasure of street graffiti by the authorities. He sings that even if the revolution's graffiti is erased from the walls, the regime will not…
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This is an archive of video footage shot by various Egyptian citizens, during the period 2011-2013. It is curated by a media collective called Mosireen, who were part of the revolutionary protest movement. They sought to challenge the official state…
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This sketch by satirical performance group Atfal al-Shawarea mocks the controversial Saudi-Egypt agreement in 2016 over the Red Sea Islands. Following this video, members of the group were arrested on charges of inciting terrorism and imprisoned for…
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In this image, cartoonist and journalist Andeel satirizes President El-Sisi. Here, the president is playing with children's toys whilst the phrases he likes to hear are popping out of his head: "we love you Mr. President; don't be afraid Mr.…
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Free Alaa Abdel-Fattah stencils from 2011. Alaa Abdel-Fattah, a prominent revolutionary activist, was imprisoned on several occasions after 2011 for his activism. In October 2011, he was arrested and accused of inciting violence against the military…
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Dr Dina Rezk interviews former heart surgeon turned comedian Bassem Youssef in Los Angeles asking him about humour in Egypt, the huge success of his TV series, 'El Bernameg' ('The Show'), and the political power of satire.
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This film, directed by Ahmad Abdalla, is considered to have anticipated the 25 January 2011 revolution. It highlights the underground youth culture scene in Alexandria and reveals the frustrations of young people living in a repressive society, who…
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