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The Craft of Tally: Tracing Marketability and Economic Sustainability of Crafts
Get PDFThis thesis explores the marketability and economic sustainability of the Tally craft in Gezeirit
Shandaweel, Sohag, Egypt, with a focus on how the craft navigates the tension between cultural
preservation and economic adaptation. Tally, a traditional form of embroidery, has deep cultural
roots in Egypt but faces significant challenges due to global market dynamics, shifting consumer
preferences, and systemic institutional neglect. Through an ethnographic case study, this research
investigates how artisans, institutions, and market forces interact to shape the craft\u27s future. The
study examines the role of cultural perceptions, innovation, and institutional support in fostering
or hindering Tally\u27s economic viability. By integrating theoretical frameworks from craft studies
and examining key mediating factors such as gendered labour, access to markets, and the power
dynamics between artisans and designers, the thesis provides a comprehensive understanding of
how Tally artisans adapt to modern demands while maintaining cultural integrity. The research
also identifies gaps in institutional support and offers policy recommendations for improving the
craft’s sustainability. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the growing discourse on the
sustainability of traditional crafts in the Global South, emphasising the need for systemic change
to support the livelihoods of artisans and preserve cultural heritage
Finding Meaning in Loss: The Role of Attachment Styles, Coping Strategies, and Resilience
Get PDFGrief is a deeply personal yet universal experience impacted by personal, social, and cultural factors. The present study examines how attachment styles, coping mechanisms, and resilience impact both grief intensity and the ability to find meaning after a loss, within an Egyptian sample. While previous studies have explored the experience of grief, few have looked at these factors within a Middle Eastern cultural context. A total of 140 bereaved Egyptians who experienced the loss of a loved one within the past three years completed standardized measures assessing grief intensity (Prolonged Grief Disorder-Revised; PG-13-R), coping strategies (Brief COPE), meaning-making (Grief and Meaning Reconstruction Inventory; GMRI), resilience (Brief Resilience Scale; BRS), and attachment styles (Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised; ECR-R). Results indicated that insecure attachment styles (i.e., anxious and avoidant attachment styles) and avoidant coping were associated with less adaptive meaning-making following a loss, while emotion-focused coping and resilience fostered greater meaning-making. Avoidant attachment, avoidant coping, and problem-focused coping were associated with higher grief intensity, whereas resilience served as a protective factor. Anxious attachment showed no correlation with grief intensity. Mediation analyses identified avoidant coping as a full mediator and resilience as a partial mediator between grief intensity and meaning-making. Contextual factors such as experiencing multiple losses in the past three years, degree of closeness to the deceased, and lack of support further exacerbated the struggle in finding meaning. These insights highlight the nuanced interplay between internal and external factors in shaping the experience of grief. These findings emphasize the need for culturally attuned grief interventions that address attachment patterns, foster adaptive coping, and strengthen resilience to support the meaning-making process following a loss
The Instrumentalization of the Unprivileged Combatants by Western Countries Aimed to Oppress National Liberation Wars
Get PDFThe goal of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is purported to be the humanization of wars. Nonetheless, the atrocities committed in wars and the war criminals’ impunity suggest the failure of IHL. Notwithstanding, some voices call for reforming and developing IHL. In contrast, this thesis argues that IHL should be rejected entirely since the distinction between privileged and unprivileged combatants indicates that IHL is biased against anti-colonizers. It is biased in three senses. Firstly, IHL, particularly the distinction between privileged and unprivileged combatants, is dominated by Western rationality, which can be noticed in the domination of the civilization concept with its two oscillating logics: the logic of biology and the logic of improvement. Secondly, it legitimizes violence in favor of imperial Western states only. Non-Western states cannot make use of the IL violence. Thirdly, IHL is a fantasy. It whitewashes the more brutal branches of IL. It is also non-enforceable against war criminals from imperial Western states. The recent conflict between Palestine and Israel since October 2023 is evidence that IHL is biased in favor of Imperial powers against resistant movements. Thus, these arguments lead to a reasonable conclusion that the world would be better without IHL
CASAR Public lecture: Will Trump End the Ukraine War?
Get PDFTrump wants to become the world’s Peace Maker, the Master of the Art of Making Deals. He promised to end this war in 24 hours. Yet the real question is whether Putin wants to end the war, or whether he is ready for a deal ? If so, then what kind of a deal? Could it be that Putin might have a different deal in mind than the deal Trump is willing to offer?? So what happens then??? The lecture deliberated about the possible answers to this very question from several perspectives, analyzing the impact on Egypt, the region & the world.
Speaker: From AUC: Amb. Dr.Alaa El-Hadidi , CASAR Adjunct Professor.
The event was moderated by CASAR Director Dr.Mark Deets
Date: Monday, Feb. 10th, 2025
Time: 1-2 pm
Venue: AlMansour Lecture Hall - Hatem & Janet Core Academic building - AUC New Cairo Campus
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Being Alone in Ancient Egypt
No full textAfter an extensive exploration of the multifaceted forms and networks of sociability, cultural historians have turned their attention to the study of those who, voluntarily or not, have been located at the margins of society or outside them: in other words, those who have been alone. Relative to ancient Egypt, this thesis hopes to offer preliminary thoughts toward an understanding of when and how aloneness was experienced and, more so, expressed by the Egyptians. The topic is challenging since aloneness lacks definitional standardization both within and across social science disciplines. It additionally implies to explore cultural representations that may be unfamiliar to the modern ‘us’. Despite being an anthropological constant, the expression of aloneness is, indeed, culturally anchored. This thesis, mainly based on literary primary sources, follows three avenues of research. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis topic while providing a historiography and background research. Chapter 2 offers an analysis of how aloneness was expressed in the ancient Egyptian language and explores the various nuances that the words and expressions may convey: ‘positive’ aloneness (solitude), ‘neutral’ aloneness, and ‘negative aloneness’ (loneliness). Chapter 3 focuses on the topographies and temporalities of aloneness: the condition, it seems, has favorite places and times to emerge, which are, for the ancient Egyptian culture, the island (or any place separated by a body of water), the desert, and the night. Chapter 4 investigates aloneness through the prism of community and social solidarity, the latter of which is defined in the ancient Egyptian culture by the concept maat. In addition to summarizing the key points of this thesis, the conclusion introduces, as an area for future research, the idea of death as the ultimate form of isolation
Novel Piperidone and Bispidine Derivatives: A New Approach in Cancer Therapy
No full textCancer remains the second leading cause of death worldwide. As a result, scientists have been trying to find novel therapeutic approaches that target specific metabolic pathways selective to tumor cells. In this study, two novel piperidone and bispidine derivatives, organic molecules that target polyamine metabolism, were synthesized, and their potential cytotoxic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects were investigated. Polyamines are naturally occurring metabolites that were reported to be in excess at cancer cells and were accounted for tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Accordingly, the novel piperidone and bispidine derivatives were expected to disrupt tumor growth and progression via up-regulation of key enzymes responsible for polyamine catabolism. In vitro studies employing MCF-7, Colo-205, HepG2, and SKOV-3 cell lines were performed. The cell viability of colorectal and ovarian cancer cells in particular was significantly reduced by Bis-1, indicating promising anticancer activity. Additionally, minimal reduction in the cell viability of HSF cell line was reported, suggesting a favorable safety profile against normal healthy cells for both compounds. Another crucial aspect of this research was the assessment of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of both compounds to investigate if the derivatives have a multifaceted mechanism of action. The results demonstrated that Bis-1 exhibited superior antioxidant effect compared to Bis-2, while the anti-inflammatory effect of Bis-2 was more prominent. Further complexation of the produced derivatives with β-cyclodextrin was performed. The purpose of the complexation was to improve the bioavailability of novel compounds and their transmembrane permeability. Furthermore, it paves the way for future clinical exploration of the cytotoxic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the newly synthesized complexes. These findings imply that the novel piperidone and bispidine compounds could be a promising selective cytotoxic agent, overcoming the limitations of current treatments by exerting their anticancer effect with limited damage to healthy tissues. However, further optimization to their chemical structure and bioavailability is still needed
Exploring the Impact of HRM Factors on the Sustainable Performance of Lebanese Family Business Employees
No full textFamily businesses serve a pivotal role in the Lebanese economy; however, not many endure to attain ongoing concern and sustainability. The current study examines the factors impacting the performance of sustainable employees in Lebanese family businesses. The research focuses on factors such as leadership style, job satisfaction, compensation, motivation, and work environment. It attempts to define the key indicators of Lebanese family business employees, in addition to how these indicators are correlated to establish sustainable performance. No previous studies in the Lebanese context explored the relationship between the determined HRM factors for this study and the performance of employees in family businesses. There are numerous beneficiaries from the findings of this study such as the owners of family businesses, HR managers, employees, business consultants, and academic researchers. This explanatory research adopts a quantitative approach with a survey as a strategy and a cross-sectional time horizon. Data is collected via Google Forms from a sample of 396 Lebanese full-time family business employees. Moreover, the data is analyzed through Smart PLS 4 software. The findings revealed that the transformational leadership style, job satisfaction, compensation, and motivation significantly impact employee performance. Conspicuously, the indicator work environment acts as a moderator that improves the correlation between leadership style, job satisfaction, and employee performance. Furthermore, job satisfaction appears as the most substantial indicator influencing employee performance. Also, the study shows that motivation, transformational leadership, and adequate compensation can enhance job satisfaction in family businesses and employee performance. In addition, an environment that is supportive plays a vital role in intensifying the influence of these indicators on Lebanese employees’ performance. Lebanese family businesses should focus on enhancing HR policies and promoting a conducive work environment to achieve sustainable employee performance. As a theoretical implication, this research accumulates to the existing literature tackling employee performance in family-owned firms. Besides, practically, the study offers implications for managers and administrators through adequate compensation policies and leadership. The basic limitation encountered in this study is the areas uncovered due to the war in Lebanon in the South and Bekaa which renders the results not generalizable. As for future research, it is recommended to take more indicators for the upcoming studies and to compare between family and non-family owned firms in the Lebanese market
Financial Decision-Making in Arab Family Businesses: Culturally and Institutionally Driven?
No full textThis study investigates the financial behavior of family businesses in the Arab world through an institutional perspective. While previous research has extensively examined financial decision-making in family firms, existing insights remain largely centered on Western contexts and overlook the influence of the institutional, cultural, and religious environment specific to Arab economies. Addressing this gap, the study explores the following question: What institutional and contextual factors shape the financial behavior of Arab family businesses? Drawing on institutional theory, the research examines how formal institutions—such as legal frameworks, regulatory systems, and financial market structures—and informal institutions— such as family dynamics, cultural norms, and religious beliefs—interact to influence financial decisions. The empirical investigation employs a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with family business owners, financial executives, and consultants from different Arab countries. A purposive sampling strategy ensured diversity of perspectives across sectors and national contexts. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify and categorize the institutional forces shaping financial behavior. The findings reveal three dominant institutional influences. First, macroeconomic and formal pressures—including political connections, regulatory uncertainty, and limited availability of financial instruments—significantly affect financing decisions. Second, informal institutions, such as patriarchal governance structures, socioemotional wealth priorities, and cultural risk aversion, lead to conservative financial strategies and frequent overlap between family and business finances. Third, religion operates as a strong normative force, with Islamic finance principles shaping preferences for Sharia-compliant instruments and discouraging the use of interest-bearing debt. The study contributes to the literature by extending institutional theory to the context of Arab family firms and demonstrating how formal and informal institutions jointly mold financial behavior within a complex institutional environment. It provides empirical evidence from a region that remains underrepresented in family business research. Practically, the findings highlight the need for policymakers and financial institutions to design regulatory frameworks and financial products that align with cultural and religious norms, while encouraging family firms to adopt governance mechanisms that reconcile tradition with contemporary financial practices. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of context-sensitive approaches to understanding financial decision-making in Arab family businesses. It calls for future research and longitudinal methods to capture the evolving institutional landscape and its implications for financial behavior over time
Invisible No More: National Solutions for Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Migrant Children in Egypt
No full textEgypt has a strategic geographical position as a significant destination and transit country for unaccompanied and separated migrant children (UASC). With a substantial and rapidly increasing migrant population, exacerbated by recent regional influxes, the country’s public infrastructure and resources are experiencing considerable strain. While Egypt has demonstrated its commitment to child rights through the ratification of key international instruments like the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), UASC in the country nonetheless face complex protection challenges, including legal visibility concerns, risk for exploitation, and barriers to social inclusion. The actual number of UASC may also exceed official registrations, influenced by factors such as under-registration and administrative considerations. In addressing these complexities, the Egyptian government has undertaken several commendable initiatives to enhance UASC protection. Notably, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) developed comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in 2020, establishing a structured national approach for case management and essential service provision, in line with both national legislation and international obligations. Further progress is evident in the new national asylum law enacted in November 2024, which prioritizes vulnerable individuals and offers fee exemptions for services, along with the Ministry of Interior (MOI)’s decision to extend residence permit validity to one year, thereby fostering greater stability and access. The launch of the Egypt Refugee and Resilience Response Plan (ERRRP) in June 2025 further signifies a proactive national leadership role in addressing refugee needs. Despite these significant advancements, opportunities exist to further strengthen the current protection framework and its implementation. Administrative processes, such as the ongoing transition of Refugee Status Determination (RSD) to local authorities and resource limitations affecting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), can contribute to registration delays and impact service accessibility. From a legal perspective, the framework’s evolution and the application of international conventions, alongside practical aspects of residence permit processes, present persistent challenges, especially for UASC. Service provision, currently relying significantly on the vital contributions of international and non -governmental organizations, could benefit from further integration into state systems to ensure more equitable and sustainable support. This policy paper comprehensively examines these areas for development across legal, administrative, and service provision frameworks, proposing actionable reforms to strengthen institutional coordination, standardize care practices, and further align child protection efforts with Egypt’s broader developmental priorities. This is through expanding the national family-based alternative care system to include refugee and migrant UASC, developing child-friendly asylum-seeking procedures, and formalizing Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) for UASC support
Determining the Limitations of Class F Fly Ash Compared to Class G Cement In Hydrocarbon Wells Application
Get PDFCement is a material commonly used in multiple applications in different industries. Among the industries that uses cement is the oil and gas industry. API (American Petroleum Institute) Class G cement that is the most incorporated form of cement used in the cementation of oil and gas wells to provide several forms of protection and stabilization for the casings. However, Class G cement is contested in terms of efficiency, costs, and environmental awareness against Class F fly ash geopolymers by researchers. This research aims to explore the potential limitations that fly ash geopolymer might have for its use in the oil and gas industry for cementing wells. A background study was conducted on both materials with functional batches formulated from workable ratios and concentrations, materials, and procedures according to the findings and methodologies of other researchers. The working sample batches were then experimented on to test their performances in water retention, durability, structural integrity, thickening time, pumpability, compressive strength, and reactions at different temperatures, pressures, and chemical conditions. The results showed that the geopolymer generally retained more water, was more durable and showed increased strength with temperature, water, and curing time than Class G cement. However, Class F fly ash limits geopolymers from industrial usage due to its inconsistent aluminosilicate compositions, its thickening time, and lack of information on its reactions with various drilling fluids. Class G retains higher compressive strength and requires less complexity in adjusting it with additives. The geopolymer may be limited for use to surface and intermediate casings and even used in two stage cementing using a diverter, but only at depths away from the production zone and substances such as HCl