Springer State, Memory, and Egypt’s Victory in the 1973 War: Ruling by Discourse (Middle East Today)

This book explores and problematises the war discourse regarding Egypt's victory in the 1973 War. It traces the process through which this discourse was constructed and reconstructed by the state throughout the periods of President Anwar Sadat, his successor Hosni Mubarak, and afterwards. It uses Critical Discourse Analysis to combine analysis of texts commemorating the war with a study of the socio-political milieu related to personal authoritarianism and the state’s intricate relations with the army, the press and Islamists. Review “Utilising unique and original data sources, Mustafa Menshawy's analysis of Egyptian political discourse is theoretically sophisticated, insightful and deeply fascinating. A brilliant exposition of how state elites and the media employ discourse as a tool of power and hegemony, this study is an important addition to the literature on language, politics, memory, and war. It will be of real interest to both the specialist and novice alike, and it makes a genuine contribution to our understanding of this important country at a time of national and regional transformation.” (Richard Jackson, author of “Writing the War on Terrorism”) “This book, using original data and detailed macro and micro analysis of discourses around the 1973 war, fills a gap in the literature on the crucial role of the media in national politics and the construction of the Egyptian state’s credibility and legitimacy. Through meticulous analysis of the relationship between politics, language, memory and war, the book offers an important contribution to our understanding of the durability of narratives around the Egyptian state and army during political transformations.” (Dina Matar, Associate Head of the Centre for Media Studies, SOAS University of London, UK, author of What it Means to be Palestinian and co-author of The Hizbullah Phenomenon: Politics and Communication) From the Back Cover This book explores and problematises the war discourse regarding Egypt's victory in the 1973 War. It traces the process through which this discourse was constructed and reconstructed by the state throughout the periods of President Anwar Sadat, his successor Hosni Mubarak, and afterwards. It uses Critical Discourse Analysis to combine analysis of texts commemorating the war with a study of the socio-political milieu related to personal authoritarianism and the state’s intricate relations with the army, the press and Islamists. About the Author Mustafa Menshawy is Lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Westminster, UK. His analyses have appeared in many news outlets including the BBC and Sky News.