Archives

EBHRC acts as a repository for primary documents including: oral records, transcripts, private papers, newspaper clippings. The major part of our collection is made up of oral records and transcripts. The transcripts that are available for researchers are those that we have obtained a legal clearance from the interviewee to share with researchers and the public. We continue to expand our activities in order to compile a primary repository of material related to the economic and business history of Egypt.

Oral History Projects

Oral History has been employed by the EBHRC for the past two years as the principal source from which it attempts to uncover aspects of Egyptian economic and business life that were not or could not have been covered by other historical sources. Our repository includes so far over 118 hours of recorded sessions with 50 of Egypt’s important figures in the economic and business sector. The sessions have resulted in a valuable collection of primary records available in audio format or as transcripts.

In effect, the center’s work is divided simultaneously among the different economic forces within society such as government, private businesses, banking, finance, and insurance in addition to small and traditional businesses. EBHRC is also interested in research and development as well as individual economists, intellectuals and political activists for their constant involvement and their individual outlooks into Egyptian economic and business life.

Activation of the accumulated sources has required the center to devise and refine an apparatus through which sessions of recording are turned into usable and available written records. The process includes providing written confidentiality agreements to interviewees, transcribing the colloquial record in legible written form, making the transcript available to the interviewee for additions and editing, obtaining a legal clearance from interviewee regarding sections of the record that would be disseminated, archiving and digitizing final records for use by scholars.

List of EBHRC interviewees, and the number of minutes recorded.

Private Collection

Part of the Centre's documentation efforts besides collecting oral history accounts is the collection of private papers related to our research topics. Over the past years, many generous interviewees have given us part of the papers, books, records and other items whether in original form or copies.

Newspaper Archives

In its efforts to document Egypt's and the Middle East's economic and business history, the Centre also pays special attention to recent trends in the making. We compile and collect clippings from the daily and weekly press including Al Ahram, Al Alam Al Youm, Al Masry Al Youm, Al Hayat (London based), Ahram Weekly, Al Mal, and Alam Al Mal amongst others. The byproduct of such an activity is the Centre's lecture series "History in The Making". These archives are meant to give researchers easier access to periodicals, and for the same purpose the Centre is currently in the process of issuing indices and background information for selected topics.