Copts, the state and the 1949–1950 al-Majlis al-Millī electoral crisis: articulating community in a time of anxiety
<p>In October 1949, the Coptic Communal Council, <em>al-Majlis al-Millī</em>, failed to run elections as scheduled in the midst of conflict with the clergy. The following April, the Egyptian government intervened by dissolving the Council in favour of an appointed body and...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor and Francis
2019
|
| _version_ | 1817931205718310912 |
|---|---|
| author | Bland, W |
| author_facet | Bland, W |
| author_sort | Bland, W |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | <p>In October 1949, the Coptic Communal Council, <em>al-Majlis al-Millī</em>, failed to run elections as scheduled in the midst of conflict with the clergy. The following April, the Egyptian government intervened by dissolving the Council in favour of an appointed body and by amending its bylaws to allow for the Coptic patriarch and the state to intervene in the case that future elections were delayed. This prompted controversy in the community, as supporters of the Council criticized the intervention for depriving the body of its democratic nature. However, opponents of the Council used the legislation to criticize the body for its aggressive posturing and to assert the authority of the clergy over the laity in communal affairs. This article explores the 1949–1950 intervention alongside the anxieties of late-liberal-era Egypt. By investigating the conversations that occurred in the government and the communal press, I argue that the election crisis served as a flashpoint for parties to lay claim to their particular visions of community by focusing on themes of communal representation, spheres of sovereignty and the maintenance of order.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-09T03:18:19Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:558202ec-1449-4720-b247-214625516703 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-09T03:18:19Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Taylor and Francis |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:558202ec-1449-4720-b247-2146255167032024-10-25T16:21:25ZCopts, the state and the 1949–1950 al-Majlis al-Millī electoral crisis: articulating community in a time of anxietyJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:558202ec-1449-4720-b247-214625516703EnglishSymplectic ElementsTaylor and Francis2019Bland, W<p>In October 1949, the Coptic Communal Council, <em>al-Majlis al-Millī</em>, failed to run elections as scheduled in the midst of conflict with the clergy. The following April, the Egyptian government intervened by dissolving the Council in favour of an appointed body and by amending its bylaws to allow for the Coptic patriarch and the state to intervene in the case that future elections were delayed. This prompted controversy in the community, as supporters of the Council criticized the intervention for depriving the body of its democratic nature. However, opponents of the Council used the legislation to criticize the body for its aggressive posturing and to assert the authority of the clergy over the laity in communal affairs. This article explores the 1949–1950 intervention alongside the anxieties of late-liberal-era Egypt. By investigating the conversations that occurred in the government and the communal press, I argue that the election crisis served as a flashpoint for parties to lay claim to their particular visions of community by focusing on themes of communal representation, spheres of sovereignty and the maintenance of order.</p> |
| spellingShingle | Bland, W Copts, the state and the 1949–1950 al-Majlis al-Millī electoral crisis: articulating community in a time of anxiety |
| title | Copts, the state and the 1949–1950 al-Majlis al-Millī electoral crisis: articulating community in a time of anxiety |
| title_full | Copts, the state and the 1949–1950 al-Majlis al-Millī electoral crisis: articulating community in a time of anxiety |
| title_fullStr | Copts, the state and the 1949–1950 al-Majlis al-Millī electoral crisis: articulating community in a time of anxiety |
| title_full_unstemmed | Copts, the state and the 1949–1950 al-Majlis al-Millī electoral crisis: articulating community in a time of anxiety |
| title_short | Copts, the state and the 1949–1950 al-Majlis al-Millī electoral crisis: articulating community in a time of anxiety |
| title_sort | copts the state and the 1949 1950 al majlis al milli electoral crisis articulating community in a time of anxiety |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT blandw coptsthestateandthe19491950almajlisalmillielectoralcrisisarticulatingcommunityinatimeofanxiety |