Editor’s Note
On Writing Economic History
“Provincializing” Middle East Economic History: Deconstructing the Mythical Constructions of Modernity and Historicism
Dina Sabry
In writing economic history, the tendency has often been to ensure the accuracy and the sequence of historic accounts; relating them to other events conjunctionally taking place and, perhaps, tracing these events to some wider structural influences such as the rise and fall of empires, wars or revolutions … keep reading
A look at the Revolution
Spotlights on The Egyptian Revolution, One Year On: Causes, Characteristics and Fortunes, Oxford University
Randa Kaldas
On May 18 and 19, 2012, the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford held an international conference, The Egyptian Revolution, One Year On: Causes, Characteristics and Fortunes. The conference brought together an interdisciplinary group of over twenty scholars from national and international universities… keep reading
University on the Square Documentation Project: A Glimpse into the Economic and Business History Research Center’s Contribution
Randa Kaldas
On January 25, 2011 thousands of Egyptians marched on the streets of all major cities chanting ‘eesh, horreya, ‘adalaegtema’eya (bread, freedom, social justice) leading to the toppling down of the then president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, on February 11. The movement afforded the opportunity for researchers to occupy a “front seat to history” and it wasn’t long before …
keep reading
From Our Archives
Economic Planning in Egypt, or Is It Really Economic un-Planning?
Nancy ElShami
As Egypt approaches its first presidential elections since the Revolution, one of the most preoccupying questions on voters’ minds is how the next president is going to resuscitate the country’s ailing economy. Throughout the past sixty years, Egypt has undergone drastic changes in … keep reading
50 years in the Egyptian Public Enterprise: Reflections of an Expert
Randa Hamza
Egypt’s contemporary history is rich with political, economic and social transformations that helped shape the face of the country today. One policy that fueled many of these changes was the initiation of the public sector in the early 1960s that dominated Egypt’s economic activities for more than three decades. The reverse of this policy … keep reading
Historical Perspectives
State Capacity and Civil Unrest: A Political Economy Approach
Dana Siegelman
According to the Arab Human Development Report in 2002, three deficits plagued the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). These were education, freedom of expression, and women empowerment. The report recommended reform in all three areas in order for Arab countries to improve economic development. The researchers highlighted … keep reading
The Institutionalization of Equitable Economic Growth
Marwa Ibrahim
In 2004, under the auspices of the World Bank, a conference held in Shanghai titled, “Scaling up Poverty Reduction,” drew global attention to the lessons provided from four East Asian countries: China, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea (Zagha, 2004). Over 600 participants met in China’s most-populated city to understand … keep reading
Vocational Education and the Need for a Change in Perception
SeifAllah Rabie
We live in a society that is obsessed with university education and paradoxically suffers from an inadequate and undereducated labour force. What higher education degrees have you obtained? Which university did you go to? These are two of many questions that many Egyptians that have passed the age of high school are expected … keep reading
Education and State Control in Turkey and Iran: Playing the Same Game, Following the Same Rules
Kismet El Husseiny
Both Turkey and Iran were greatly exposed to the western world through the encroachment and retraction of empires, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This exposure has led to a form of modernization in both countries. This also led both countries to seek the development of their respective educational systems …. keep reading
Seizure of the Holy Mosque in Mecca: Underlying Religious, Socio-economic, or Political Dimensions?
Nareman Amin
On November 20th, 1979, two to three hundred armed men took over the Holy Mosque in Mecca for two weeks. It was the first day of the new Islamic year 1400 and around fifty thousand pilgrims were waiting to pray fajr, the dawn prayer. To this day, the details of the attack remain hazy. The hijackers came into.... keep reading
Reviews
A commentary on Goldberg’s thesis: Ecological crisis or historiographical artifact?
Ulas Karakoc
The issue of declining cotton yields over the decades leading up to the World War I has been one of the important themes in the Egyptian economic historiography. The deterioration in yields was first noticed in the 1890s by Lord Cromer and afterwards became the subject of public debate and academic research. The problem was deemed to be of huge significance ... keep reading
Past Issues