Egypt
Field of Dreams
For decades, African soccer has been caught between immense natural talent and broken systems of governance and funding. But a convergence of changes — new leadership, diaspora players returning to their roots, Morocco’s World Cup success and grassroots investment — could tip the continent into a golden era.
The Burden of Greatness
Mohamed Salah’s superstardom helped reshape Liverpool’s identity, but amid a resurgent far right and rising racial tensions, his symbolic status reveals the impossible standards placed on minorities.
Why a Candid Conversation From 55 Years Ago Has Scandalized the Arab World
Rare audio of a candid conversation between Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser and Libya's Moammar Gadhafi in 1970 has scandalized the Arab world in recent days, ultimately revealing more about contemporary Middle Eastern politics than history.
Spiritual Women of the Wilderness
The Desert Mothers of early Christianity were as determined as male mystics to live solitary lives in the most testing of conditions. While their characters and lives are less well documented, what we do have gives intriguing glimpses into what it was like for a woman to be a recluse in a milieu dominated by men.
Assad’s Fall Sparks Fear and Reflection in Egypt
Amid Egypt's political divides and economic struggles, the fall of Assad has sparked deep reflection and fear that similar events could unfold in the country.
In Egypt and Sudan, Nubians Are Trying To Bring an Alphabet Back From the Dead
It is widely acknowledged that the extinction of a language is a devastating cultural loss for ethnic minorities, but these Nubians raise a different question: What happens when an alphabet disappears? And is it possible — or even desirable — to save a script?
The Contradictory Legacy of an Egyptian Sociologist
Saad Eddin Ibrahim spent his life and career speaking up for civil society and democratization in the Arab world, building bridges between his work in academic sociology and his political advocacy. Then he abruptly degenerated into an apologist for authoritarian counterrevolution.