Date of Graduation
12-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies (PhD)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies
Advisor/Mentor
Restrepo, Luis F.
Committee Member
Haydar, Paula M.
Second Committee Member
Swedenburg, Ted R.
Keywords
Collective Memory; Cultural Resistance; Dystopian Literature; Narrative Erasure; National Identity; Postcolonial Trauma
Abstract
Egypt, a nation shaped by a history of political upheavals and colonial domination, carries a deep reservoir of trauma that has found expression in its literature and art. Despite this, the scholarly exploration of trauma within the Egyptian context remains markedly limited. This dissertation seeks to address this gap by critically analyzing the representation of trauma in selected works of post-revolutionary Egyptian literature and visual narratives. Employing an interdisciplinary framework that integrates postcolonial trauma theory, memory studies, and cultural analysis, this dissertation challenges the dominance of Western-centric trauma scholarship, which has traditionally been anchored around events like the Holocaust. Instead, it situates its inquiry in the aftermath of the January 25 Revolution of 2011, examining how literary and artistic forms engage with trauma to shape and reflect both individual experiences and their broader impact on collective memory and national identity.
Throughout the dissertation, a diachronic approach traces the evolution of representations of the revolution across different phases. From the initial euphoria of revolutionary fervor to subsequent disillusionment and repression, the research documents the shifting contours of public memory and explores how cultural productions respond to and shape these historical trajectories. Ultimately, the dissertation enriches broader scholarly conservations on trauma, memory, and cultural production, offering fresh insights into the complex interplay between art, politics, and society in the aftermath of upheavals. By centering the voices of writers and artists, this dissertation underscores the transformative potential of cultural expressions as a means of grappling with grief, fostering resilience, and resisting erasure, while simultaneously serving as a driver for the restoration of social cohesion, and the reimagining of post-revolutionary futures.
Citation
El-Nagdy, N. (2024). A Wound in the Psyche: Political Memory and Unhealed National Trauma/s in Post-Revolution Egyptian Literature and Popular Culture. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/5614
