Abstract
The relationship between nationalism and loyalty to the political regime is a widely discussed topic, especially when it comes to the Middle East. The complex political history and persisting authoritarian rule in the region make analyzing the role that nationalism plays more vital. The case of Egypt is a clear example of how nationalist identities are used to strengthen loyalty to the regime and stabilize it. This can be done through many tools, such as organizing extravagant, performative events or creating new, nationalist provinces. This thesis focuses on the employment of nationalistic songs and television shows and their impact on national identity. The utilization of popular culture has long impacted the political order in Egypt throughout the rule of many political leaders, as it is widely and easily accessible to all Egyptians. This is done to achieve various political goals, including strengthening loyalty to the political regime and stabilizing the political order. Consequently, the current political regime has taken the route of mass production of excessive nationalistic songs and political drama television shows that are widely consumed by ordinary Egyptians and encourage opposition exclusion and loyalty to the regime. To understand how and why the current regime uses popular culture to shape new nationalistic perceptions, an analysis of popular culture usage from Nasser until al-Sisi’s regime is conducted. This will shed light on the impact of songs and television shows on nationalism on the one hand and how it ultimately influences the political order on the other. This is done through discourse analysis, which allows the examination of lyrical cues and patterns in these songs and television shows, aiming to create a new national identity.
School
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department
Political Science Department
Degree Name
MA in Political Science
Graduation Date
Spring 2-28-2024
Submission Date
9-11-2023
First Advisor
Nadine Sika
Committee Member 1
Amr Adly
Committee Member 2
Nadine Abdalla
Extent
168 p.
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval
Not necessary for this item
Recommended Citation
APA Citation
Fadel, N.
(2024).Popular Culture and Nationalism in Post-revolutionary Egypt [Master's Thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2193
MLA Citation
Fadel, Nour. Popular Culture and Nationalism in Post-revolutionary Egypt. 2024. American University in Cairo, Master's Thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2193