Language and Identity in Modern Egypt

This book examines language and identity in modern Egypt using theories from discourse analysis and sociolinguistics. How is language used in Egyptian public discourse to express the collective identity of Egyptians? How does this identity relate to language form and content? Reem Bassiouney explores these questions by drawing on newspaper articles, caricatures, blogs, patriotic songs, films, school textbooks, TV talk-shows, poetry and novels to show the relationship between language, public discourse and national identity in Egypt. Readers will discover the intricate ways in which media and public discourse help shape and outline identity through linguistic processes. It is an in-depth study of identity in modern Egyptian public discourse. It focuses on nationalist discourse before, during and after the Egyptian revolution of 2011. It helps us to decode the messages put forward by the competing factions in Egyptian politics. It looks at the Egyptian national identity and the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 – one of the most important political events of the last few years.

Reviews of Language and Identity in Modern Egypt

"This is a timely book by a knowledgeable scholar who has a deep and sophisticated appreciation of the complexities of language and identity in Egypt." – Abbas Benmamoun, University of Illinois