Egypt’s Activists: Democracy Is a Practical Process

Egypt’s Activists: Democracy Is a Practical Process

Egypt’s Activists: Democracy Is a Practical Process

Social media may not play as pivotal a role in Egypt’s electoral process as it did in the initial phases of the revolution; rather, grassroots, in-person campaigning will sustain the revolutionary momentum moving forward.

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After thirty years under President Hosni Mubarak’s iron grip on power, Cairo is alive with activism. In a roundtable earlier this month organized by PolicyMic.com and The Nation and moderated by author Stephen Glain, young Egyptian activists debated some of Egypt’s most pressing issues, including the role and strength of the Muslim Brotherhood, the power of social media in sparking reform and the military’s stranglehold over politics.

Participants agreed that social media may not play as pivotal a role in the electoral process as it did in the initial phases of the revolution; rather, grassroots, in-person campaigning will sustain the revolutionary momentum moving forward. As noted by prominent blogger Gigi Ibrahim, who rose to fame by tweeting during the revolution, change will come from support for popular committees, labor unions, student unions and all the institutions that "truly represent those that took part in this revolution." 

Be sure to also check out the other videos in this series on Egypt’s activists:
I Wouldn’t Vote for the Islamists
Where Will the Money Come From?
Now I Tweet in Arabic

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