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The Egyptian revolution: A participant's account from Tahrir Square, January and February 2011 (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate )
Author(s) -
Rashed Mohammed Abouelleil,
El Azzazi Islam
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
anthropology today
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.419
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1467-8322
pISSN - 0268-540X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8322.2011.00798.x
Subject(s) - narrative , identity (music) , square (algebra) , politics , sociology , media studies , gender studies , law , political science , art , literature , aesthetics , geometry , mathematics
On 25 January 2011, Egyptians took to the streets demanding political and social reform. In Cairo, protesters converged upon Tahrir (‘Liberation’) Square, which remained constantly occupied until the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak on 11 February. In this narrative, the author recounts his experiences over 12 days as a participant in what is now referred to as the Egyptian revolution. He concludes with reflections on the situation that emerged in the square, focusing in particular on some of the factors that may have contributed to the success of its continued occupation: the swift creation of an embryonic form of community, and the receding of the usual identities based on class and religion in favour of a simple yet powerful identity as people of the revolution.