Politicizing the Passion Podcast Midterm Proposal

1. Statement of Topic

By a study of the chants used throughout the protests, this podcast will analyze and contrast the parallels and contrasts between the nationalism and emotions of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution and the 2018 Sudanese Revolution. In addition, we will refer to a number of sources on emotional theory and link the most pertinent ideas to both revolutions. Ultimately, the purpose of this podcast is to connect the existing literature on emotions throughout both revolutions by offering emotional theory analysis from the course themes, which is essential to comprehending the emotions that underlie both revolutions.

2. Thesis Paragraph - Organization + structure

   1. Thesis: Chants demonstrate distinct kinds of national identification in Egypt and Sudan, highlighting how nationalism and emotions are represented differently across cultures and languages. The investigated chants highlight the most prominent feelings of the revolt and provide a substantial historical description that may be used to comprehend how the current emotional and political state of Sudan and Egypt came to be as it is today. Consequently, this podcast will demonstrate the importance of protest chants and language in understanding the nation's people, a topic that is sometimes overlooked.

   2. Script (To be revised):

      1. Introduction: Historical Background of Egyptian & Sudanese Revolution

      2. Nationalism? How?

         1. Nationalism in Sudan

         2. Nationalism in Egypt

      3. Chant and language analysis

         1. Anger in Sudanese & Egyptian dialects

         2. Where does hope lie in the chants?

      4. Theme discussion

         1. Themes discussed

• Sticky emotions: what emotions stuck to each revolution?

• What was the emotional habitus of each revolution? (Heaney, Beatty, Gould)

• How were each state considered an ‘insecure state’ → Nationalism (Mabel Berezin)

• Loyalty to each nation: to what extent is it state led and people led in the context of each revolution?

• What was the moral shock? What triggered the citizens to go out to the streets? (GJP, Pearlman, Gould)

• Any mobilizing /emboldening emotions vs. demobilizing/dispiriting emotions throughout the revolution → how did the Egyptian revolution end? How did the Sudanese revolution slowly die down and what is keeping them going four years later? (GJP, Gould)

• Conclusion: How are these emotions evident in the current Egypt and Sudan?

3. Literature Review: Nationalism + Emotions in Egypt and Sudan 

Colonial rule had a direct impact on the rise of Sudanese nationalism. The elites took charge and emphasized how nationalism was the only phenomenon that could unite the people towards a common enemy and goal, neglecting all the other factors within the community, such as ethnic differences that often divided the society to enhance that nation-building and nationalist sentiments. “The pan-Sudan process of Sudanization after the removal of the British turned to a strict program of northernization” (Ibrahim, 2009, p. 14). Through this, the elites obtained what they desired from Sudanese unity, nationalism, and a fight against colonial rule, but the marginalization of minority ethnic groups prevailed in Sudan. Nationalism was the primary tool that united the Sudanese despite the unrest and deep-rooted differences between various groups, whether socially, politically, or economically. (Highlighted in the chants). The growth of national aspirations and anti-colonial sentiments started in 1924 by creating a community of the oppressed. There was a political mobilization as a product of nationalism and anti-colonial beliefs, uniting people against colonial power and giving them hope for an independent Sudan.

The political and social identity of belonging to an independent nation and community, as illustrated by Anderson’s ‘Imagined Communities,’ outlines Sudanese nationalism and how citizens of the land shall protect it at all costs to the extent they should be willing to perform sacred acts for it. The nation binds its citizens with strong feelings of community, belonging, and nationalism. “It is imaged as a community, because, regardless of the actual inequality and exploitation that may prevail in each, the nation is always conceived as a deep, horizontal comradeship” (Anderson, 2006, p. 7). Nevertheless, this only depicts surface-level nationalism and fails to acknowledge the internal conflicts developing within that nationalist sentiment, such as ethnicity and tribal groups.

Analyzing the chants, words, and phrases people continuously repeated and shouted to highlight their resistance, nationalism, and liberation from the oppressive regime is a critical way to show the role of emotions in the Sudanese revolution. Revolutionary slogans such as “Tasgot Bas” showcased the street’s anger and hope in demanding the regime's fall (Casciarri & Manfredi, 2020, p.15). The chants in the 2018 revolution encompassed chants and revolutionary songs from previous revolts with an integral nationalist sentiment that stimulated the population's emotions and sense of belonging. The chants and songs often highlighted the importance of protecting the nation, the role of the youth, both men and women, in the fight for the land, and having the pride to protect and work for the good of the country.

In regards to Egypt, while Egyptian nationalism is deeply rooted in Egypt's historical and cultural foundations, making it an increasingly diverse topic, it is important to note that the purpose of this literature review is to provide a brief historical overview of its origins and emotional manifestations. This will be done to demonstrate that while there is an abundance of literature on the topic and its connection to the Egyptian Arab Spring protests, there is a dearth of in-depth analysis on its similarities and differences with the Sudanese revolution, despite the fact that the emotions and chants in both revolutions are in many ways connected. The disparities between Egyptian and Sudanese identities must still be analyzed, as these distinctions are what make the nations and their people unique and distinct.

Egyptian nationalism is intrinsically tied to the image of being Arab, which strives to connect with the perceived former greatness of the Arabs, of whom Egypt was a part. That identity includes the pride and self-esteem that were displayed in performances from the late 19th century, as well as a sense of morality that is, one supposes, intentionally left vague (Mesytan, 2017). While Arab nationalism was connected to patriotism, what led to the rise of nationalism rather than patriotism was the notion of unification of many imagined communities that maintain different religious faiths under the same nation that Egyptian - and Arab - nationalism provided; it provided a sense of unity to various religious and ethnic identities based on a criterion that does not inherently exclude people of different belonging, which is the land they reside in (Mesytan, 2017). With this in mind, the twentieth century took on a more solidified sense of nationalism, evident in the Free Officers' movement of the 1930s and 1940s, which grew into one of the most concerning forces of anti-colonialism: pan-Arabism, which had Gamal Abdel Nasser lead Egypt away from colonization, with a pan-Arab identity that opposes imperialism, Israel, and fights for Egypt's independence (Abou-El-Fadl, 2015; Mesytan, 2017). 

The above historical overview is essential to this literature review because it explains how the 2011 revolution had many ties to Nasser's ideology - as much of the language Egyptians use during the protests is rooted in the former glory of Egyptian nationalism in the hopes of reviving what their forefathers had accomplished; the desire to revive the past is evident in statements that emerged from the Arab Spring protests, such as "Raise your head high, you are Egyptian" (Winegar, 2019, 28).In terms of the roots of nationalism, this is precisely what most of the literature argues and links. More importantly, contemporary literature on Egyptian nationalism draws from the rising hope that nationalism provided during the protests. However, what stands out in the Arab Spring's Egyptian nationalist image is the use of art, chants, music, photography, and poetry to express nationalism: Salem, Ryzova, and Pearlman illustrate how emotions are conveyed through these forms of expression. Many of these authors base their arguments on the premise that emotions are ingrained in each action of the feeling, and that many of their emotions were ultimately instrumental in changing the country's trajectory. Specifically, certain authors, such as Winegar, who thought that love and hatred were at the heart of the revolution, focus on how specific emotions evolved and changed rather than offering a general overview of all emotions during the revolution. Love is significantly linked to future violence. Pearlman and Ryzova provided a more comprehensive picture of the feelings felt throughout the revolution: optimism, excitement, happiness, worry, fear, and wrath - and how it grew into vulgarity and a fight for moral justice, according to Ryzova (Pearlman, 2011; Ryzova, 2020; Winegar, 2017). Additionally, it is worth highlighting that there is various other literature that covers similar aspects, but the literature above was selected due to its relevance to the podcast’s topics, as we aim to analyze emotions of rage, love, anger, and nationalism while connecting them to theories of emotions.

Ultimately, what this literature review highlights is that there are indeed works that highlight emotions during the revolution, but what lacks is further analysis on language, emotions, politics and how that can be connected to theories of emotion that we examine in our class. Therefore, this podcast aims to connect such theories of emotion to the knowledge above, in hopes of finding more fruitful analysis and a better understanding of the past to understand how that links with the current emotional and political state of the people in Egypt and Sudan. 

4. Case background (To be revised) (Sources cited below)

The purpose of the case background is to present a timeline of the events that transpired throughout both revolutions and a sample of the chants that will be reviewed to provide context for what is being analyzed and what occurred:

1. Egypt (2011)

   • President at the time - Hosni Mubarak

   • 25 January 2011 in Tahrir Square, a national holiday to commemorate police forces → Mass demonstrations against poverty, corruption, and political repression

   • Demonstrations were organized by the youth demanding Mubarak to step down from the presidency 

   • Protestors were faced with violent tactics from the police and Mubarak’s regime

   • After more than two weeks, Mubarak stepped down and the military took control

2. Sudan (2018-ongoing):

   • Attempt to revolt in 2013 - died quickly because of the atrocities

   • President at the time - Omar Al Bashir

     • In power for 30 years → corruption and oppression 

   • 19 December 2018 → a series of demonstrations broke out across the country protesting against the rising costs of living, especially food and fuel. 

   • In January 2019, the Forces of Freedom and Change FFC, a wide political coalition of Sudanese groups including the Sudanese Professional Association, rebel groups, and the Sudanese resistance committees organized subsequent nonviolent resistance movements.

   • Protestors were faced with violence and atrocities from the military and armed forces. 

   • April 19 → Omar Al Bashir was overthrown 

3. Chants from the Sudan Revolution 2018 

   • Girifna 

     • “We’re fed up”

   • Yasqut Hukm al Askar: 

     • That is due to the decline of the public perception of the military

   • Huriya, Salam w Adala - Freedom, Peace and Justice

     • W althawra khiyar alshaab - And the revolution is the people’s choice 

   • Tasgot Bas 

     • Just fall

     • يا عنصري ومغرور البلد كلها دارفور (You arrogant and racist, the whole country is Darfur)

   • Other primary sources

4. Chants from the Egypt Revolution 2011

   • Ash-sha'b, yurid, isqat an-nizam:

     •  “The people want the fall of the regime”

   • Aeesh, horeya, aadala igtmaaya

     • “Bread, freedom, societal justice”

   • Kifaya 

     • “Enough”

References

Abou-El-Fadl, R. (2015). Early pan-Arabism in Egypt's July Revolution: The free officers' political formation and policy-making, 1946-54. Nations and Nationalism, 21(2), 289–308. https://doi.org/10.1111/nana.12122 

Ali, R. (2012, January). Egypt's revolution continues: One chant at a time - 25 january: Revolution continues - egypt. Ahram Online. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/114/32335/Egypt/-January-Revolution-continues/Egypts-Revolution-continues-One-Chant-at-a-Time.aspx

Al Jazeera. (2023, January 25). What happened during Egypt's January 25 revolution? News | Al Jazeera. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/25/what-happened-during-egypts-january-25-revolution 

Anderson, B. (2006). Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London, New York: Verso. 

Berezin, M. (2002). Secure states: towards a political sociology of emotion. The Sociological Review, 50 (2_suppl), 33-52.Casciarri, B., & Manfredi, S. (2020). Freedom, Peace and Justice. A Glossary of the Third Sudanese Revolution. HAL Open Science. Arabité, Islamité, Soudanité.

Elseewi, T. (2011). A Revolution of the Imagination. International Journal of Communication, 5. 

Goodwin, J., Jasper, J. M., & Polletta, F. (2001). Introduction: Why emotions matter. Passionate politics: Emotions and social movements, 1. University of Chicago Press. 

Gould, D. (2012). “Political Despair.” In Politics and the Emotions: the affective turn in contemporary political studies. Paul Hogget and Simon Thompson.

Heaney, J. (2013). Emotions and nationalism: a reappraisal. Emotions in politics: the affect dimension in political tension, 243-263.

Kenney, J. T. (2012). Millennial Politics in Modern Egypt: Islamism and Secular Nationalism in Context and Contest. Numen, 59(5), 427–455. 

Munzoul A. (2019, January 2). Sudan December 2018 riots: Is the regime crumbling? CMI - Chr. Michelsen Institute. https://www.cmi.no/publications/6750-sudan-december-2018-riots-is-the-regime-crumbling

Medow, Z. (2022). The Spread of Non-violent Action: The Case of the 2018-2019 Revolution in Sudan.  Freedom House. https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2022-11/FHPrecursorsSudan11302022.pdf 

Mestyan, A. (2020). The Ottoman Origin of Arab Nationalisms. In Arab Patriotism: The Ideology and Culture of Power in Late Ottoman Egypt. essay, Princeton University press. 

Pearlman, W. (2013). Emotions and the Microfoundations of the Arab Uprisings. American Political Science Association, 11(2), 387–409. 

Ryzova, L. (2019). The battle of Muhammad Mahmoud Street in Cairo: The Politics and Poetics of Urban Violence in revolutionary time*. Past and Present, 247(1), 273–317. https://doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtz029 

Salem, S. (2020). Egyptian Nationalism and its Discontents. Politics, Popular Culture and the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Retrieved from https://egyptrevolution2011.ac.uk/exhibits/show/egyptian-nationalism/egyptian-nationalism 

Sudanese Archive. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://sudanesearchive.org/

Tahrir Documents. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.tahrirdocuments.org/

Vezzadini, E. (2015). Lost Nationalism: Revolution, Memory and Anti-colonial Resistance in Sudan. Woodbridge: James Currey.

Winegar, J., Masco, J., & Thomas, D. A. (2023). Love and Disgust: Sovereignty Struggles in Egypt’s Uprising. In الكتب على Google Play Sovereignty Unhinged (pp. 27–44). essay, Duke University Press. 

858 Archive. (2016). Retrieved from https://858.ma/grid/title.