Back to Egypt and Back to Blogging

Because of certain unexpected circumstances I have not been able to write in this blog recently. My apologies are sincerely submitted here to the readers of this blog, to those who continue to endure hardships in Egypt, and to all those who have vested interest in the status of the Baha'is of Egypt. I am hoping to be able to write more regularly now and to provide updates on the subject matter of this blog.

Obviously there have been significant developments during the past few months which will be gradually explored during the following few posts, but in order to focus the readers' attention on the matter at hand, without bias, I would like to introduce a recently published scholarly work on the Baha'is of Egypt.

This extensively researched work was done by an independent Italian Scholar (not a Baha'i), named Daniele Cantini, and was recently published in Anthropology of the Middle East, vol. 4: 2 (Winter 2009): 34–51. The article is titled "Being Baha’i in Contemporary Egypt: An Ethnographic Analysis of Everyday Challenges."


Being Baha’i in Contemporary Egypt

An Ethnographic Analysis of Everyday Challenges

Daniele Cantini

Abstract: Following the 2003 reform and the Supreme Court ruling of 16 December 2006, Baha’is of Egypt find it increasingly difficult to have their citizenship rights recognised. This article draws on personal observation and analysis carried out in the context of broader research on Egyptian citizenship. I will introduce the condition of Baha’is in this country, from a historical and legal perspective, before starting an overall analysis of what being an oppressed minority means, in concrete terms, in the practice of everyday living. The article will then delineate how the ambiguities of state policies towards Baha’is are reflected in their daily lives.

Keywords: Baha’i, citizenship, Egypt, minority, religion, state policies
______________________________________________________

In order to read the entire article, please go to this link....