JOUR2050: Media & Modern Egypt

This course is an introduction to some of the major topics in modern Egypt. Egypt’s history is something you’ve likely encountered in a world history course, and this rich heritage serves as the backdrop for our study this semester. At the course’s core is the notion that, like people everywhere, Egyptians have a multifaceted identity that is both diverse and (partially) constructed through media. “Identity” in this context consists of political, religious, economic, and social aspects of one’s life. Through this course, you will come to appreciate the diversity of perspectives and commonality of identity choices between Egyptians and residents of the US.

In grounding our consideration of identity diversity, we use this course to assess various identity nodes in modern day Egypt and their respective media constructs. These include Egyptian and Arab identity, political alignments (i.e., those associated with Arab Spring protests, Muslim Brotherhood, military, etc.), and religious affiliation (i.e., Shia and Sunni, Copts and other Christian traditions, Egypt’s past Jewish population). Egypt also has regional and economic class distinctions that help define individual and group belonging. Then there are personally salient, but socially stigmatized identities, especially sexual preference and gender. We consider how Egyptians with these identities negotiate the realities of dominant norms (as portrayed in media) with their need for self-determination and worth.

This class is no longer a study tour but will continue to be offered for Fall 2023 as an honors seminar.