Cairo as Global/Regional Cultural Capital?

Abstract

This chapter illustrates that some aspects of Cairo's traditional cultural prominence in the Arab world have been transformed in the context of technological innovation, pan-regional diversification, and the proliferation of new forms of consumerism. It asserts that Cairo's rich cultural traditions, which once dominated the Arab world, remain strong though now drained by political, social, and economic constraints at home, and by competition from emerging Arab cultural capitals. This needs to be interpreted in Egypt not as unhealthy competition but as a source for enriching and democratizing Cairo's culture and Arab culture in general. The transformation can be traced back to the 1967 defeat of Arab military forces by Israel. Using interviews and statistics, the chapter shows, empirically, that the presumed decline of Cairo as a global/regional cultural capital is debatable.

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