Egypt in a Time of Revolution

Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics

by Neil Ketchley

This book considers the diverse forms of mass mobilization and contentious politics that emerged during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 and its aftermath. Drawing on a catalogue of more than 8,000 protest events, as well as interviews, video footage and still photographs, Neil Ketchley provides the first systematic account of how Egyptians banded together to overthrow Husni Mubarak, and how old regime forces engineered a return to authoritarian rule. Eschewing top-down, structuralist and culturalist explanations, the author shows that the causes and consequences of Mubarak's ousting can only be understood by paying close attention to the evolving dynamics of contentious politics witnessed in Egypt since 2011. Setting these events within a larger social and political context, Ketchley sheds new light on the trajectories and legacies of the Arab Spring, as well as recurring patterns of contentious collective action found in the Middle East and beyond.

Genres: Egypt, Middle East, Politics

222 pages, Paperback

Published April 13, 2017

Reviews

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book as part of a university module, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ketchley provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the Egyptian revolution, and as someone who knew little about Egyptian politics prior to reading, I found it incredibly informative but also very accessible. Several theories he has raised in this book have gone on to frame and ignite ideas for my essays in contentious politics, and I am incredibly grateful to have read it as a student of contentious politics as it has given me a deeper understanding of the topic as a whole. Only bug bears would be that there is little context provided to history PRIOR to the revolution, which would be helpful for those not caught up with what took place. Other than that, it was an interesting and captivating read.