The chapter provides a brief overview of the development of the broadcasting sector in Egypt, demonstrating the significance of this sector in promoting the ideologies and policies of Egypt’s successive regimes, beginning with Nasser’s through al-Sisi’s governments. Although the sector was subjected to liberalization, under Mubarak’s rule, state television still dominated the broadcasting sector and controlled the dissemination of public information and news. When private licenses were granted, the new private stations were barred from engaging in newsgathering, and those who overstepped this line quickly lost their licenses. The hope for political changes after the overthrow of Mubarak has largely dissipated, as media censorship has continued under the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and the Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi, and it has intensified under al-Sisi’s presidency.

This study utilizes ethnographic methods to inquire how ideas of masculinities are perceived by English-language media professionals and media audiences in Egypt. Using semi-structured interviews and a survey, the aim is to find common narratives on how masculinity is perceived on personal levels and what terms are used to describe men and masculinities, which in turn can be used as the basis for further analysis of Egyptian media content. The word “narrative” in itself is used to convey personal experience, and the telling of those experiences, rather than generalizable data applicable to the larger population. Found are several common themes, such as emphasized heterosexuality, and the expectation of men as providers and protectors, which is related, by the respondents, to the nation and the military. Protection and militarism relates to ideas of strength, honor, and courage. Men are almost exclusively seen as possessors of power. The ‘head of the household,’ and the head of state, both portrayed as iconized leaders, emerge as the quintessence of Egyptian masculine identity, whether that identity is contested or not.

In the summer of 2013, millions of Egyptians returned to Tahrir square in Cairo to demand the resignation of the country’s first democratically elected president. This article examines the two key terms mainly used to describe the ousting of President Mohamed Morsy, ‘coup’ and ‘revolution’, and how these terms can be understood as arguments for two different interpretations of the event. Particular focus is given to the press corps of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which reveals a discrepancy between the interpretation of Scandinavian online press and the Egyptian majority, meaning that the Scandinavian press corps is telling a story that is not recognized by those it is about. While many media producers speak of a severe polarization, it is found that the divide is actually small in number, but grows over time, raising questions about journalistic practice and media ethics. It is concluded that Scandinavian reporting on the Middle East needs to be seriously evaluated and reformed in order to improve its credibility.

Denna studie bygger på etnografiskt material insamlat i Kairo, under hösten 2014. Med hjälp av semi-strukturerade intervjuer och internetenkäter undersöks hur maskulinitet(er) talas om och beskrivs i vardagliga sammanhang, samt hur maskulinitet uppfattas i relation till dess medierepresentation.

This article examines the radicalization of politics in the 1990s leading up to the al-Aqsa intifada, also known as the Second Intifada. A study of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, Kach, and Kahane Chai reveals that the violence of these radical groups is not necessarily senseless rebellions against oppression but could instead be seen as calculated efforts to obstruct the peace process, suggesting that unsuccessful negotiations and a subsequent turn to violence are not failures of the peace process but are instead deliberate attempts to undermine it. Understanding the motivation behind acts of terror in Israel and Palestine today and its role in radicalization is crucial in countering terrorism and highlighting the road to peace.

Var det en revolution eller en statskupp? Den tredje juli, 2013, avsattes egyptens första demokratiskt valda president, och sedan dess har media kämpat med vad de ska kalla händelsen. Revolution eller statskupp, det är frågan.