10 - Internet and the Egyptian Public Sphere
Corresponding Author(s) : Omnia Mehanna
Africa Development,
Vol. 35 No. 4 (2010): Africa Development
Abstract
The Internet offers many actors in the society ways to present and raise discussion of ideas that is not possible or easy to engage in, especially in societies with conservative facades such as the Egyptian society. The number of Internet users in Egypt had reached 8.6 million by March 2008. This means that more than 10.per cent of the total Egyptian population had access to the Internet. The number of Internet users in Egypt is the third highest in Africa and represents about 17 per cent of the total number of users in Africa. By taking advantage of the opportunity of having greater access to the Internet and using the security of being anonymous, if one desired, provided by this medium of communication, increasing numbers of Egyptians started using the Internet to gain information and engage in political, social and religious discussions. This new E-public sphere in Egypt is not completely virtual, nor is it completely real.
The Internet facilitated more chances to networking, forming alliances and addressing the public. This has led to the emergence of a kind of alternative media run by professionals, semi-professionals and amateurs. And of equal importance, an increasing number of blogs and websites started addressing highly controversial social and religious issues.
This article, focusing on websites and blogs, explores the new trends which the Internet gave rise to, as well as institutions – such as government and established religious institutions – whose power to monopolise public debates has been challenged by the Internet in Egypt, till 2008. The paper also shows how the state interacts with these trends through recent attempts to increase censorship of the Internet, and in particular its usage for political mobilisation.
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- Aaiza Atgawez (I Want To Get Married) Blog. URL: http://wanna-b-a- bride.blogspot.com/
- AbdAalal, G., 2008, Aaiza Atgawez , Cairo: Dar El Shorouk.
- Abdulla, R., 2005, The Internet in Egypt and the Arab Countries, Cairo: Afaq Publishig House.
- Abdelhadi, M., 2008, ‘Spotlight on Egypt’s Marriage Crisis’, BBC News, 12 August 2008. URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7554892.stm
- Abu-Lughod , L., 2005, Dramas of Nationhood: The Politics of Television in Egypt, Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.
- Al-Jazeera News Channel, 2006, ‘Tahet Al-Megehar’ Programme, episode titled ‘Al-Modawenon Al-Arab: Al-Moa’rada Bi Sout Gadid’, aired on 26 May. Transcripts of the content of this episode can be found in: http:// www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E6A0A606-DDE9- 49DB-820A-9E0562D9DAF8.htm
- Al-Waa’e Al-Masri’ (The Egyptian Awareness) blog, with an English title ‘Misr Digital’, http://misrdigital.blogspirit.com/
- Al-Waa’eAl-Masri’(The Egyptian Awareness) blog, with an English title ‘Misr Digital’.
- ANHRI, 2008, The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, press release on 12 May, http://www.anhri.net/press/2008/pr0512.shtml
- April 6th blog, URL: http://6april08.blogspot.com/
- April 6th Face book Group, URL: http://www.facebook.com/ group.php?gid=9973986703
- Arab Human Rights Information Site (HRInfo)(http://www.hrinfo.net), ‘The Initiative for an Open Arab Internet’, Egypt Report 2006, http:// www.openarab.net/en/reports/net2006/egypt.shtml, accessed on 17 July 2007.
- Baheyya: Egypt Analysis and Whimsy. Commentary on Egyptian Politics and Culture by an Egyptian Citizen with a Room of her Own’, blog. http://baheyya.blogspot.com/
- Bassam, R., 2008. Orez bi Al-laban li Shakhsayn, Cairo: Dar El Shorouk. Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC), 2007, URL: www.idsc.gov.eg
- Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC), 2008, ‘Egyptian Blogs: New Social Space’, IDSC Monthly Reports Series (April), URL: www.idsc.gov.eg
- Caricatooz blog , for Ashraf Hamdy , url: http://caricatooz.blogspot.com/ Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), 2007, URL: http://www.capmas.gov.eg/
- Dar El Shorouk Publishing House, 2008, Blog Series Listing, URL: http:// www.shorouk.com/ar/subjects_details.asp?cat_id=71
- Ebn Akh Blog, URL: http://ebn-akh.blogspot.com/
- Egypt’s Hotspots Now Under Surveillance’,. http:/ misrdigital.blogspirit.com/ archive/2008/06/09/, accessed on 9 June 2008.
- Free Kareem website, URL: http://www.freekareem.org/ Hawadeet (Stories) Blog, URL: http://hadouta.blogspot.com/
- Hisham Mubarak Centre for Legal Aid website, URL: http://hmlc.katib.org/ Internet World Stats, 2008, ‘Internet Usage Statistics for Africa’, URL: http://
- www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm IslamOnline.net Site, URL: http://www.islamonline.net/
- Jar El-kamar (Neighbour of the Moon) blog, URL: http://jarelkamar.manalaa.net/ Kareem Amer blog, URL: http://karam903.blogspot.com/
- Maa Nafsi Blog. URL: http://ma3nafsi.blogspot.com/
- Mahmoud, G.M., 2008, Amma Hazeh fa Raqsati Ana, Cairo: Dar El Shorouk. Manal and Alaa’s Space’ blog, http://www.manalaa.net/
- Masrawy News site, 2008, ‘Saudi Arabia deports an Egyptian because of articles critizing the Egyptian Government on the Internet’,. http://www.masrawy.com/ News/Egypt/Politics/2008/july/26/khayat.aspx, 26 July.
- Mehanna, O., 2010 ‘Sexuality Online: Obtaining Knowledge and Counseling through a Faith-based Website in Egypt’, in Oka Obono, ed., A Tapestry of Human Sexuality in Africa, Johannesburg: Jacana Media and Lagos: Action Health Incorporated.
- Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), 2008, Monthly Report (December 2007), URL: http://www.mcit.gov.eg/IndicatorsPDF/ Nashradec1-2008.pdf
- Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), 2007 Year Book, URL: http://www.mcit.gov.eg/brochures.aspx?realName=MCIT_YEARBOOK_072008214174 047.pdf
- Schiano, D.J., Nardi, B.A., Gumbrecht, M. and Swartz, L., 2004, ‘Blogging by the Rest of Us’, CHI 2004, Late Breaking Results Paper, 24- 29 April, Vienna, Austria, p. 114.
- Shabab Al Ikhwan Blog, URL: http://ikhwanyouth.blogspot.com/
- Stephen, Moss, 2001, ‘There isn’t a target in Afghanistan worth a $1m missile’, Mohamed Heikal, the Arab world’s foremost political commentator, Guardian, October 10.
- The Egyptian Movement for Change - Kefaya (Enough!) website, URL: http:// www.harakamasria.org/
- The Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimeen) official Arabic website, URL: http://www.ikhwanonline.com/
- The Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimeen) official English website, URL: http://www.ikhwanweb.com/
- Wahed mn Al Ikhwan Blog, URL: http://mohamza80.blogspot.com/
- Yalla Msh Mohem Blog, URL: http:/ yallameshmohem.blogspot.com/
References
Aaiza Atgawez (I Want To Get Married) Blog. URL: http://wanna-b-a- bride.blogspot.com/
AbdAalal, G., 2008, Aaiza Atgawez , Cairo: Dar El Shorouk.
Abdulla, R., 2005, The Internet in Egypt and the Arab Countries, Cairo: Afaq Publishig House.
Abdelhadi, M., 2008, ‘Spotlight on Egypt’s Marriage Crisis’, BBC News, 12 August 2008. URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7554892.stm
Abu-Lughod , L., 2005, Dramas of Nationhood: The Politics of Television in Egypt, Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.
Al-Jazeera News Channel, 2006, ‘Tahet Al-Megehar’ Programme, episode titled ‘Al-Modawenon Al-Arab: Al-Moa’rada Bi Sout Gadid’, aired on 26 May. Transcripts of the content of this episode can be found in: http:// www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E6A0A606-DDE9- 49DB-820A-9E0562D9DAF8.htm
Al-Waa’e Al-Masri’ (The Egyptian Awareness) blog, with an English title ‘Misr Digital’, http://misrdigital.blogspirit.com/
Al-Waa’eAl-Masri’(The Egyptian Awareness) blog, with an English title ‘Misr Digital’.
ANHRI, 2008, The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, press release on 12 May, http://www.anhri.net/press/2008/pr0512.shtml
April 6th blog, URL: http://6april08.blogspot.com/
April 6th Face book Group, URL: http://www.facebook.com/ group.php?gid=9973986703
Arab Human Rights Information Site (HRInfo)(http://www.hrinfo.net), ‘The Initiative for an Open Arab Internet’, Egypt Report 2006, http:// www.openarab.net/en/reports/net2006/egypt.shtml, accessed on 17 July 2007.
Baheyya: Egypt Analysis and Whimsy. Commentary on Egyptian Politics and Culture by an Egyptian Citizen with a Room of her Own’, blog. http://baheyya.blogspot.com/
Bassam, R., 2008. Orez bi Al-laban li Shakhsayn, Cairo: Dar El Shorouk. Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC), 2007, URL: www.idsc.gov.eg
Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC), 2008, ‘Egyptian Blogs: New Social Space’, IDSC Monthly Reports Series (April), URL: www.idsc.gov.eg
Caricatooz blog , for Ashraf Hamdy , url: http://caricatooz.blogspot.com/ Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), 2007, URL: http://www.capmas.gov.eg/
Dar El Shorouk Publishing House, 2008, Blog Series Listing, URL: http:// www.shorouk.com/ar/subjects_details.asp?cat_id=71
Ebn Akh Blog, URL: http://ebn-akh.blogspot.com/
Egypt’s Hotspots Now Under Surveillance’,. http:/ misrdigital.blogspirit.com/ archive/2008/06/09/, accessed on 9 June 2008.
Free Kareem website, URL: http://www.freekareem.org/ Hawadeet (Stories) Blog, URL: http://hadouta.blogspot.com/
Hisham Mubarak Centre for Legal Aid website, URL: http://hmlc.katib.org/ Internet World Stats, 2008, ‘Internet Usage Statistics for Africa’, URL: http://
www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm IslamOnline.net Site, URL: http://www.islamonline.net/
Jar El-kamar (Neighbour of the Moon) blog, URL: http://jarelkamar.manalaa.net/ Kareem Amer blog, URL: http://karam903.blogspot.com/
Maa Nafsi Blog. URL: http://ma3nafsi.blogspot.com/
Mahmoud, G.M., 2008, Amma Hazeh fa Raqsati Ana, Cairo: Dar El Shorouk. Manal and Alaa’s Space’ blog, http://www.manalaa.net/
Masrawy News site, 2008, ‘Saudi Arabia deports an Egyptian because of articles critizing the Egyptian Government on the Internet’,. http://www.masrawy.com/ News/Egypt/Politics/2008/july/26/khayat.aspx, 26 July.
Mehanna, O., 2010 ‘Sexuality Online: Obtaining Knowledge and Counseling through a Faith-based Website in Egypt’, in Oka Obono, ed., A Tapestry of Human Sexuality in Africa, Johannesburg: Jacana Media and Lagos: Action Health Incorporated.
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), 2008, Monthly Report (December 2007), URL: http://www.mcit.gov.eg/IndicatorsPDF/ Nashradec1-2008.pdf
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), 2007 Year Book, URL: http://www.mcit.gov.eg/brochures.aspx?realName=MCIT_YEARBOOK_072008214174 047.pdf
Schiano, D.J., Nardi, B.A., Gumbrecht, M. and Swartz, L., 2004, ‘Blogging by the Rest of Us’, CHI 2004, Late Breaking Results Paper, 24- 29 April, Vienna, Austria, p. 114.
Shabab Al Ikhwan Blog, URL: http://ikhwanyouth.blogspot.com/
Stephen, Moss, 2001, ‘There isn’t a target in Afghanistan worth a $1m missile’, Mohamed Heikal, the Arab world’s foremost political commentator, Guardian, October 10.
The Egyptian Movement for Change - Kefaya (Enough!) website, URL: http:// www.harakamasria.org/
The Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimeen) official Arabic website, URL: http://www.ikhwanonline.com/
The Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimeen) official English website, URL: http://www.ikhwanweb.com/
Wahed mn Al Ikhwan Blog, URL: http://mohamza80.blogspot.com/
Yalla Msh Mohem Blog, URL: http:/ yallameshmohem.blogspot.com/