On The Limits Of Theoretical Frames

epa03768119 Egyptian policemen shout slogans against President Morsi and hold a poster reading in Arabic 'Down with the rule of the Murchid (leader of the Brotherhood)' as they join a protest in Cairo, Egypt, 30 June 2013. Tens of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets in rival rallies on 30 June, as the opposition demanded Islamist President Mohammed Morsi step down on his first anniversary in office. Tensions between Morsi's supporters and his opponents have risen in the lead-up to the anniversary, with at least seven killed in clashes last week. EPA/ALI ZIDI

On Narrow Theoretical Frames and the Openness of the Squares: Egypt's Blazing Summer

The overthrow of the Morsi government has shown, for the Nth time, preset frames of thinking disconnected from actual practices, with the streets filled by actors calling for continuation of the revolution together with those coming to support the army in a confrontation with today's ally/yesterday opponent, embodied by Muslim Brotherhood. In the streets, revolutionaries mixed with former regime loyalists (feloul), those who are democratically-inclined mixed with those of a fascist tendency, and those seeking a livelihood and the right to expression mixed with those calling for the return of a stable framework of authoritarianism that Egyptians had long lived under.

The views represented in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arab Reform Initiative, its staff, or its board.