Description
Book SynopsisConfronting Fascism in Egypt offers an in-depth examination of the response of Egyptian civil society to the global rivalry between liberal democracy and totalitarian fascism as their confrontation accelerated over the course of the 1930s.
Trade Review"In
Confronting Fascism in Egypt, Israel Gershoni and James Jankowski succeed remarkably in overturning the perception of interwar Egypt that has prevailed for decades in the realm of Western academia . . . No study of interwar Egypt—or of interwar Arab public opinion for that matter, given the central importance of Egypt in that regard—can afford to ignore this landmark book from now on."—Gilbert Achcar,
Arab Studies Journal"This impressive work is refreshing in its scope and yet attentive to the rich details of the Egyptian experience. It makes the powerful case that no transfer of Nazi ideology occurred in Egypt in the 1930s and details how Egyptian thinkers, including leaders of the Muslim Brothers, watched, appalled, as Hitler's regime pursued its racist programs. The authors know Egyptian history inside out and their use of Arabic periodical sources is dazzling." —Heather J. Sharkey, University of Pennsylvania
"Gershoni and Jankowski refuse to accept simplifications in describing intellectual positions in Egypt of the 1930s. This book proves that an overwhelming majority of opinion leaders in Egypt held on to liberal, anti-fascist principles. The authors document the genuine, creative voices of those who struggled to come to terms with the challenges of the colonial world, and they put into question the conventional image that Arabs were naturally inclined towards totalitarianism. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in gaining a sound picture of political and intellectual trends in the Arab world." —Peter Wien, University of Maryland
