I read the news on a friend’s Facebook page (one of my primary sources of news and analysis out of Egypt these days), that a coalition of Egyptian youth groups had rejected an invitation to meet with U.S. Secretary of State...
KEEP READING![Photo reprinted courtesy of Gwenael Piaser via Flickr Photo reprinted courtesy of Gwenael Piaser via Flickr](https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog-785x482/public/uploads/5420980641_d2ce5c94f8_o.jpg?itok=WQ90o-Ki)
New Book on National Narratives
Prior to the 2011 uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, economic, political, and internal security policies were considered to be fundamental features of authoritarian regime maintenance. However, in her new book, Official Stories: Politics and National Narratives in Egypt and Algeria (Stanford University Press), CPD University Fellow Laurie Brand, the Robert Grandford Wright Professor of International Relations and Middle East Studies, and director of the Middle East Studies Program in the School of International Relations, introduces a new factor, that of national narratives.
Building on the rhetoric of a country's founding, identity, and bases of unity, examining how these factors help a ruling elite maintain control, Dr. Brand argues that such official stories, directly correlate to a crisis response that threatens a leadership's hold on power.
She explains that after more than six decades of political, economic, and military challenges in two of North Africa's largest countries: Egypt and Algeria; leaderships have attempted to reconfigure narratives to confront challenges to their power. Professor Brand also demonstrates how leaderships may miscalculate, thereby setting in motion opposition forces beyond their control.
For more on Dr. Brand’s Official Stories, click here.
Visit CPD's Online Library
Explore CPD's vast online database featuring the latest books, articles, speeches and information on international organizations dedicated to public diplomacy.
Popular Blogs
-
August 2
-
July 5
-
July 19
-
July 3
-
August 12