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Edina Bohanec (Sociology Major)
“Life Makers: A Nonviolent Approach to Transnational Islamic Activism”
Sponsor: Professor Peter Evans, Sociology
Project Description
Contemporary nonviolent movements of Muslim youth around the world are often neglected in the western media and deserve more scholarly attention. Emerging in the affluent urban centers of Egypt, “Life Makers” is an example of such a movement. The group was spearheaded nearly a decade ago by a charismatic and popular leader, Amr Khaled, through his television programs, lectures, tapes, and speeches. Edina will travel to Egypt this summer to look at ‘Life Makers’ development from a group of youth following Khaled’s teachings, to an international nongovernmental organization and now to its potential as a social movement seeking transformation of Egyptian society. While it is recognized that ‘Life Makers’ is clearly an organization that focuses on social reform and development of society, Edina will investigate to what extent this goal of transformation implies political and economic change.
Scholar's Photo
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Edina outside the "Sonaa' al Hayat", or
Life Makers office, on her way to conduct interviews in Maadi, Cairo.
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Scholar's Journal
I just flew into the Cairo airport about a week ago and went north to Alexandria to spend time with family and connect with some of the Life Maker’s offices to begin my interviewing. I spent the first several days recovering from my arrival but I have started on some of my research leads. I just met with a new office here in Alexandria. This was the second Life Makers office that I have visited, and while at the first office my interviews went smoothly, at this new office I was surprised because of the interrogation that I got about my project. I was in the hot seat for about half an hour being questioned extensively. Luckily I had my husband with me translating back and forth from Arabic to English the things I said when they didn't understand exactly what I was researching. From what I concluded after the whole ordeal is that the organization is desperately afraid of political turmoil, and as one of the guys in the office explained there are only two things not allowed in the office; "Talking politics or extremism."
The heads of Life Makers also seem to be precautious because apparently there was a journalist in Egypt a few months ago who was following Amr Khaled for an article she was writing in the New York Times. Unfortunately some Egyptian gossip columnist heard about the journalist and wrote some fallacious and defamatory article about the whole thing in a local Egyptian newspaper. If I recall correctly, the title of the article was something like “Who is the Jewish Woman in Amr Khaled’s House?” There seems to be many individuals around who like to “dig up dirt” on Amr Khaled to make him loose credibility. A big part of those individuals come from the secular and leftist media. But even with the problems Amr Khaled faces, nothing seems to be dampening his growing popularity.
Even the government is protective about what goes on in relation to Amr Khaled and Life Makers. They keep a close tab on everything he does since he has been banned from doing anything that resembles preaching in public. Some of the Life Makers I interviewed also mentioned that they are on good terms with the government, but often feel as though they are walking on eggshells around the system. Several weeks into my research, I was called in to the National Security office so they could question me about my project and political motivations...long story short, they seemed OK with my research, but they said they will be monitoring more closely what I'm doing. Ironically I have reason to believe that it is the head of the Life Makers in Alexandria that reported me to national security. The two seem to be working together to minimize any kind of controversy or threat.
Oh well, my difficulties will only make my successes that much more rewarding. Also it is good to know that I don't think just anyone could do the work that I am trying to do; mostly because the people in charge seem very cautious about what they will talk about and to whom. I gain credibility because I am Muslim, married to an Egyptian and somewhat familiar with their socio-cultural and religious perspectives. All of these things add an extra dynamic to my project and I look forward to sorting through it all in the next few months.
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