In recent years, the Egyptian government has embarked on an ambitious development agenda, focusing on megaprojects to enhance economic, societal, and environmental progress. Amid economic...Show moreIn recent years, the Egyptian government has embarked on an ambitious development agenda, focusing on megaprojects to enhance economic, societal, and environmental progress. Amid economic challenges, there is a recognition of tourism's potential to boost foreign currency income. The government has shifted its tourism development focus from coastal resort towns to the culturally significant St. Catherine in South Sinai. A UNESCO heritage site and a natural protectorate, the site is believed to be where Moses received the Ten Commandments and houses the oldest continuously inhabited monastery globally. The newly initiated ‘al-Tagali al-Aatham’ project aims to transform the city into a global tourist destination, sparking economic growth for the city, the region, and the Egyptian state. However, environmental and heritage concerns have arisen. This thesis investigates the socio-economic impact of al-Tagali al-Aatham on St. Catherine, employing ethnographic fieldwork to explore perspectives from both the government and local Gabaliya Bedouin. Positioned within Sinai’s history of political contestation and nation-building efforts, the thesis positions the project as a case study of state-induced development on the ‘margins’ of an authoritarian state in an ethnically complex setting. It argues that al-Tagali al-Aatham serves as a nation-consolidation measure, promoting national identity and solidifying Sinai’s integration into the Egyptian nation-state by imposing nationalism, seeking peace, and presenting Egypt as a modern nation.Show less
May 7, 2021 marks the starting point of escalating unrest in Palestine and increased Palestinian uprisings. These events are part of a larger history of similar incidents like these. Over the years...Show moreMay 7, 2021 marks the starting point of escalating unrest in Palestine and increased Palestinian uprisings. These events are part of a larger history of similar incidents like these. Over the years, social media has become more popular and with it the role it plays in social and political activism, which is what makes these recent events deviating from previous situations. Previous studies have used quantitative research methods to examine the role of social media during activism and mobilization. Alternatively, this research uses a qualitative discourse analysis to explore how social media shape spaces and opportunities for the Palestinian struggle. Based on the analysed data, retrieved from five Instagram accounts, four categories were created: information, the Palestinian identity, violence and mobilization. The content of the analysis was interpreted using knowledge gained on the history, as well as on the aftermath of social media and activism in Palestine. The categories show how social media shape spaces and opportunities for Palestinians to: share their own narrative and experiences, seek support and mobilize.Show less
Why do many women feel the constant need to enhance their looks? How do they navigate their way in the beauty regime around them? With the help of interviews and a review of postcolonial feminist...Show moreWhy do many women feel the constant need to enhance their looks? How do they navigate their way in the beauty regime around them? With the help of interviews and a review of postcolonial feminist theories, this Master thesis explores the influences of the patriarchal, modern/colonial, and capitalist regimes on women's body image in Lebanon. Many women in Lebanon use beauty to get ahead since other ways of advancement are limited. The legacy of civil war, economic situation, and the state regime keep gender oppression institutionalized. Beautification is a short-term panacea helping individual women to rise to the top within the existing system, yet fails to address the roots of structural gender-based oppressions.Show less
