Turning ‘defeat’ into ‘victory’ : The Power of Discourse on the 1973 War in Egypt

El Menshawi, Mustafa (2016) Turning ‘defeat’ into ‘victory’ : The Power of Discourse on the 1973 War in Egypt. Middle Eastern Studies, 52 (6). pp. 897-916.

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Abstract

The article examines the construction of the 1973 war as a legitimating discourse in Egypt. After an analysis of formal texts (for example, school textbooks), semi-formal texts (for example, the Ahram newspaper) and informal texts (for example, songs scripted to commemorate the event), the article finds a pattern which constructed the war as a ‘massive, consistent and unquestionable’ victory for Egypt under the rule of Anwar Sadat (1971–81). Based on critical discourse analysis of these previously untapped texts over the eight years of Sadat's rule after the war and drawn on primary sources and interviews, the article traces the genealogy and operationalization of discourse through exploring linguistic and extra-linguistic features synchronized towards the efficacy, durability and credibility of this process. The essay finds that the discourse retains an appearance of coherence, since it is always so closely attuned to its broader state-controlled political context. Rather than inferring from this coherence that the discourse is as historically ‘truthful’ as any other, this study provides hard evidence that it relies instead upon intentional falsehoods.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Middle Eastern Studies
Subjects:
?? war & conflict studiespolitical discourseauthoritarianism ??
ID Code:
150571
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
11 Jan 2021 10:00
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
15 Jul 2024 21:19