"The Revolution Within: Islamic Media and the Struggle for the New Egypt"
Abstract: The 2011 revolution unleashed both passionate concern and contention about how to create a “New Egypt.” Islamic channels were important sites of these debates as rival television preachers gave media form to their competing visions of what a virtuous life entails and what an ethical polity looks like. Based on fieldwork in Cairo with the “New Preachers” – so named because of their novel styles of Islamic media – this book explores what on and offscreen debates over the mass mediation of Islam reveal about the diverse conceptions of human flourishing and divine obligation that animate religious revivalism and revolutionary praxis alike. In doing so, it goes beyond a politics of redemption or repugnance to take seriously the social life of theology and its immanent and transcendant stakes. Through public-facing writing, this research enriches ongoing conversations about the complex intersections of religion, media and politics in a moment of resurgent authoritarianism and resistance alike.


From ACLS:
The Luce/ACLS Program in Religion, Journalism & International Affairs (RJIA) is an initiative designed to foster new connections between scholars and journalists covering international affairs. The program offers two interrelated awards: programming grants for universities and fellowships for scholars in the humanities and social sciences who study religion in international contexts. This program is made possible by the support of The Henry Luce Foundation.

Luce/ACLS Fellowships support scholars in the humanities and related social sciences pursuing research on any aspect of religion in international contexts with a desire to connect their specialist knowledge with journalists and media practitioners. The ultimate goal of the research will be a significant piece of scholarly work by the applicant and concrete steps to engage journalistic and media audiences. This program is made possible by the support of the Henry Luce Foundation.

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