Beyond Tokenism: Media Representation of Copts for Social Integration in Egypt
As an Egyptian expat, I have often felt detached from my own culture. I turned to films and television as a means to connect with and understand Egyptian culture and to inform my identity. Egyptian cultural identity in the media is presented as an entirely Arab and Islamic continuity. I was surprised to discover, through research during my undergraduate studies at Georgetown University, that various diverse cultural continuities exist within Egypt. I became increasingly curious as to why I was never introduced to these cultures outside the academic realm, and why I have never seen Coptic dishes, languages, festivals, traditions, music, and other cultural practices in Egyptian media. I explore the reasons and consequences for this media exclusion and the ways in which it leads to the social exclusion and misconception of Egyptian Copts. I will do this primarily through interviews with Copts. I also discuss Egyptian cinema’s monopoly-like influence in creating, maintaining, and driving the narrative around intangible cultural heritage in Egypt. This problem ultimately erodes the richness of the country’s plural culture. Additionally, the consequences of the social exclusion created by media under representation is exhibited as severe vulnerability of Copts in Egyptian society. Change must start with an authentic and accurate representation of Coptic culture in Egyptian cinema. A grassroots approach is necessary to remedy this exclusionary phenomenon.
Faculty Mentor: Firat Oruc
CMAP E-Portfolio: https://magdhabiba.wixsite.com/my-site
