Today in Cairo hundreds of thousands of Egyptians demonstrated in Tahrir Square, insisting that President Hosni Mubarak resign and leave the country. Their protests are the culmination of nearly thirty years of misrule and repression by an authoritarian president and party. Mubarak finally flinched and, sounding like a bitter-old man, announced that he would not stand for re-election.
Was this concessionary speech enough? Probably not. The transformational process continues. Events are trending in favor of the "Egyptian street" in an atmosphere of exhilaration amid uncertainty. Mubarak is on his way out but what will Egypt be like a few days, weeks, months, or years from now? Will it be stable or chaotic? Will democracy prevail or will another authoritarian regime emerge? Will the lives of "the dispossessed" improve?
For the people of Egypt–people of all ages, all walks of life, all political persuasions–these days of protest are a life altering historical moment, whatever the outcome. No one in this nation of 80 million can escape from the moment. And their voices are being heard, around the world–because journalists are out in the street, reporting and filming the protests.
Because so many participants are young people, who were the uprising’s instigators, teachers can turn to the "life history" approach to connect students with the experiences of ordinary people on the streets of Egypt’s cities. This approach encourages students to imagine historical contexts very different from their own by focusing their attention on those caught up in events–in this case young Egyptians (teens and young adults). Using sources readily available on the Internet, students can listen to what young Egyptians are saying: Why are they protesting? What do they want? Are they afraid or fearless? Why do they feel liberated?
In an eloquent "news analysis" reporter Anthony Shadid captures the mood in Cairo on Saturday–when thousands in Tahrir Square had "seized control of their lives." Shadid is cautiously optimistic–despite the fence-sitting headline–though he also detects "a current of anxiety."
PRINT THE ARTICLE from the New York Times web site and distribute to students or have them read it online (in class or at home for discussion tomorrow). ASK students to look for signs of hope in Shadid’s account. Make sure that they notice actions as well as words.
(More on life history in another posting.)
Resource
Shadid, Anthony. "Egyptians Wonder What’s Next." New York Times (29 January 2011).
No comments:
Post a Comment