Revolution Squared: Tahrir, Political Possibilities, and Counterrevolution in Egypt

Atef Shahat Said's book "Revolution Squared" explores the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, highlighting the potential for liberation and the constraints that limited its transformation. He argues that Egyptians did not fully grasp their clout and that limited reformist demands reduced the revolution's potential.

Format: Hardback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 12 December 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

In his book "Revolution Squared," Atef Shahat Said delves into the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, exploring the profound spectrum of liberation and constraints that underpin every revolution. Drawing upon extensive historical analysis and his firsthand experience in the uprising, Said highlights the significance of Tahrir Square and other physical spaces, as well as the role of social media and digital platforms in shaping the revolution. He introduces the concept of "lived contingency," which sheds light on how revolutionary actors navigate and comprehend the revolution through their actions or inactions. Through a meticulous examination of the lived contingencies of Egyptian revolutionaries from the decade preceding the revolution's outbreak to its peak and the subsequent transition to democracy, Said challenges prevailing narratives and counterrevolutionary perspectives. Contrary to the notion of inevitable defeat, he argues that Egyptians underestimated their collective power and that the pursuit of limited reformist demands diminished the revolution's potential for transformative change.

In his book "Revolution Squared," Atef Shahat Said delves into the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, exploring the profound spectrum of liberation and constraints that underpin every revolution. Drawing upon extensive historical analysis and his firsthand experience in the uprising, Said highlights the significance of Tahrir Square and other physical spaces, as well as the role of social media and digital platforms in shaping the revolution. He introduces the concept of "lived contingency," which sheds light on how revolutionary actors navigate and comprehend the revolution through their actions or inactions. Through a meticulous examination of the lived contingencies of Egyptian revolutionaries from the decade preceding the revolution's outbreak to its peak and the subsequent transition to democracy, Said challenges prevailing narratives and counterrevolutionary perspectives. Contrary to the notion of inevitable defeat, he argues that Egyptians underestimated their collective power and that the pursuit of limited reformist demands diminished the revolution's potential for transformative change.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478020721