Urban Space in Contemporary Egyptian Literature

An examination of how the space of the downtown served dual purposes as both a symbol of colonial influence and capital in Egypt, as well as a staging ground for the demonstrations of the Egyptian nationalist movement.

"Urban Space in Contemporary Egyptian Literature does an admirable job of underlining the ways in which 'a reworking of the past vis-à-vis our cities is an important part of the process in determining who we are (and want to be) in the present'" - Arab Studies Journal

"In this fascinating and well researched study, Naaman brings a host of works on heritage, nostalgia, modernity and modernization, colonialism and post-colonialism, and, of course, architecture, to bear on her analyses of portraits of downtown Cairo that emerge from four Egyptian novels. The events of February 2011 have brought this very space to the attention of a world-wide public, one that will surely gain from a reading of Naaman's excellent study." - Roger Allen, Professor of Arabic and Comparative Literature, University of Pennsylvania

"An original, intelligent, and imaginative contribution. Naaman successfully draws the reading of contemporary Arabic literature into a broader set of concerns about modernity, national identity, class, ethnic conflict, and the experience of urban life." - Timothy Mitchell, Professor of Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures, Columbia University

"This study adds several dimensions to our understanding of the Egyptian novel: narration of space in the novel, the representation of urban space, and the emergence of a decidedly post-nationalist form of writing. What emerges from Naaman's discussion is that these novels are part of adefinable new literary school whose sites, themes, and styles mark a radical departure from earlier ones." - Elliott Colla, Chair, Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Georgetown University

MARA NAAMAN Assistant Professor of Arabic and Comparative Literature at Williams College, USA.