Egypt’s sectarian playing field | by Asef Bayat

Many no doubt wondered what had happened to the celebrated revolution of civility, to the Tahrir of sacrifice and solidarity, as they watched the violent collisions between Christians and Muslims in Egypt over the past few weeks. Disturbing certainly, but they were...

Libya: The West’s new client? | by Simon Assaf

The uprising in Libya was inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. But the intervention of Nato forces changed the situation dramatically. Simon Assaf asks if Libya is now destined to become a client state of Western powers or whether its revolution could...

Interview with Khalid Shamis | by Andre Marais

The documentary Imam and I by Khalid Shamis was screened at the beginning of June at the Encounters Film Festival in Cape Town. Shamis is the grandson of the film’s protagonist, Imam Haron. He talks here about this six-year-long project, his portrait of the Imam and...

An Arab Springtime? | by Samir Amin

The year 2011 began with a series of shattering, wrathful explosions from the Arab peoples. Is this springtime the inception of a second “awakening of the Arab world?” Or will these revolts bog down and finally prove abortive—as was the case with the first episode of...