Digital Commons Network^™

Unraveling The Nexus: Social Spending, Development, And Breaking The Cycle Of Poverty, Yasmin Shehata

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the role of development, as indicated by the Human Development Index (HDI), in shaping the connection between social public spending on health, education, and social protection and poverty in terms of the poverty headcount ratio at $3.65/day (2017 PPP). Empirical analysis is used to this end, employing a panel dataset of 68 countries at varied stages of development over the period 1995-2021. The empirical model is estimated using the Fixed Effects Two-stage Least Squares (2SLS). It is also re-estimated using the Instrumental Variable Generalized Method of Moments (IV-GMM) and Limited Information Maximum Likelihood (LIML) to test the …

The Influence Of The “Hayah Karima” Initiative On The Standard Of Living Of Egyptian Citizens: Evidence From The Menofia Governorate, Merihan Sharara

Theses and Dissertations

Social protection programs have been used in several developing countries in order to aid in their development efforts. In Egypt, “Hayah Karima”, an initiative which represents a developmental initiative endorsed by Egypt’s President Al-Sisi, aims to minimize the developmental gaps among citizens in terms of standards of living. “Hayah Karima” is based on governmental finance in partnership with the private sector. This paper covers this initiative and its different aspects as well as their possible impact on the standards of living for citizens in El- Menofia Governorate. The paper also includes 71 surveys conducted with different partners and beneficiaries of …

Low Hanging Fruits: When Governments Look For Easy Wins & Ignore Real Priorities, Laila El Baradei

Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Civil Society Organizations In Youth Inclusion Reforms In Post-Uprising Tunisia, Amal Tobich

Theses and Dissertations

Tunisia has a large youth population; more than half of the population are youth aged between 15-30 years in 2011. Tunisia has long faced challenges adopting serious reforms for youth inclusion and participation. Young people, especially since the Arab Spring, are driving social and economic innovation, challenging policies, and representing governments. More connected than ever, young people exert a greater influence on their fellow citizens and their country and youth inclusion is a central aspect of the post-2015 global development agenda. This study seeks to determine the role of Civil society Organizations in youth inclusion by drawing on extensive literature …

The Banality Of Corporate Evil, Amina Dessouki

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis critiques the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) through tracing the multiple dynamics between a multinational corporation and a development consultancy working on a recycling project in collaboration with the Zabaleen in Mansheyet Nasser, Egypt. The thesis looks at the ways in which actors negotiate their different positions, the harmonies and discordances that unfold through various agendas coming together, the silences produced, and the ways in which structural violence is intensified under the guise of development. The thesis contrasts the detached efforts of corporate workers and development consultants with the lives of the zabaleen, who live in a …

The Facts Of Life: Professional Identity Narratives Of Expatriate Language Instructors In Egypt, Sierranicole Butler

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses a narrative approach to investigate the lived experiences of two expatriate TESOL instructors at a private university in Egypt. Through the use of observations and interviews, the researcher analyzed how the emotions and beliefs of experienced expatriate TESOL instructors influence, shape, and are shaped by their Language Teacher Professional Identities. Farrell’s (2011) Professional Role Identities codes were used. The study revealed that expatriate language instructors face a number of trying experiences when teaching students, interacting with colleagues, and taking on various leadership roles within their institutions based on a number of factors including their own beliefs, backgrounds, …

The Conceptualization Of Women’S Empowerment By Microlenders In Egypt And Its Link To Sustainable Development, Yasmina Abdellatif

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how microlenders in Egypt conceptualize women’s empowerment and how they see it contributing to achievement of the UN sustainable development goals. Ten Egyptian microlenders were interviewed to understand how they defined and assessed empowerment, the strategies they used to support empowerment, and which sustainable development goals they felt their programs were addressing. Results revealed that, overall, microlenders sought to empower women in economic, social, psychological, and familial ways, and that they used indicators to measure empowerment under each area. They also supported empowerment through mentoring, training and follow-up with their beneficiaries, and by working to include men. …

Harry Potter And The Gluttonous Machine, Jason A. Beckett

Faculty Journal Articles

In this paper, I outline the colonial structure of international law, and examine the short decline or suppression of its coloniality in the so-called ‘era of decolonisation’, then illustrate its resurgence in the modern neo-colonial order. PIL has split into two separate systems. One includes, and is justified by, the heroic tales of human rights and ‘Humanity’s Law’. The other is the actualised system of International Economic Law (IEL), an order driven by the need of the over-developed states to plunder the under-developed states’ resources and labour, to subsidise the luxury to which we have grown accustomed. One purports to …

The Deceptive Dyad: How Falseness Structures International Law, Jason A. Beckett

Faculty Journal Articles

Public International Law (PIL) is portrayed as an autonomous and tolerably just legal system. A determinable system of rules and principles, deployed by professionals to evaluate and constrain the global machinations of power politics. Law as an authoritative structure through which global justice can be pursued. This entrenches a comforting, but false, progress narrative; and obscures the limitations of pursuing progressive change through international law. PIL is structured by false necessity and false contingency. These interact to create the Deceptive Dyad, which disguises the radical indeterminacy of PIL. PIL’s purported demands, however meticulously crafted, do not effect change in the …

A Fiasco In Pavements And Contracting Out, Laila El Baradei

Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Neoliberalism, Violence And Capital Accumulation, Reem M. El Barbary

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation looks into the violent, self-serving legal (neocolonial) order that revolves around wealth accumulation and the defense and sustainability of the status quo. The starting point and core idea that guides my discussion is the “redemptive” ideological framework and commitment to free market economies and profit-making. I thus look into the narratives upon which an alliance between development, progress, human rights and neoliberalism rests, in a manner that limits and restricts involvement and action; and normalizes and legitimizes suffering, ill-doing and irresponsibility through law. I examine the interdisciplinary and multilayered reality of repression that state sponsored, and supported, bodies …

Assessing Community Based Education In Upper Egypt Failure And Success, Amira Hussein

Theses and Dissertations

Community based education has been used in different developing countries in the context of the Education for All (EFA) commitments as a mechanism to increase access and enrollment for basic education in remote and rural areas. It has been introduced to Egypt in 1992 through a partnership between MOE, INGOs, such as UNICEF, USAID, CARE, and local communities. This study examines the current prevailing perception about the community education model as being a successful alternative for public primary education in Egypt in marginalized areas and for vulnerable and marginalized groups mainly girls. It argues that in spite of achieving satisfactory …

Responsibility Of International Financial Institutions Of Harmful Economic Consequences Arsing From Their Development Interventions, Reham Galal Barakat

Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, International Financial Institutions (IFIs) have been strongly criticized for funding a series of harmful projects which led to adverse environmental, social, and economic impacts on borrower countries, such as deforestation, displacement of indigenous peoples, and unemployment. The most notable example of the harmful environmental and social consequences resulting from an IFI funded-project was demonstrated in the Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada River in western India, funded by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in 1985, which led to the displacement of thousands of farmers and the loss of their livelihood. While examples of the …

Nasser And Park: Development, State Building, And Elite Consolidation, David Wooil Choi

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the relationship between elites and development and state building. It looks at how elite consolidation does or does not affect development and state building. It does this in the context of the cases of Egypt under Gamal Abdal Nasser and Korea under Park Chunghee. The thesis initially puts forward the argument that Korea's advantages from the colonial era set the basis for later development and state building, and paved the way for elite consolidation into the 1960s. However, the thesis ultimately finds that while Korea may have had some advantages from the colonial era that helped in …

Bursting The Myth Of The Real Estate Bubble, Aliaa Bassiouny

Audio & Video by Faculty: Webinars, interviews, documentaries, etc...

AUC hosted a discussion to dissect rising prices in real estate, construction and development in light of Egypt's recent economic challenges and the devaluation of the Egyptian pound. The talk was moderated by Aliaa Bassiouny '03, chair of the Department of Management in AUC's School of Business, and featured Amr Soliman, chairman and founder of Mountain View and founder of Dar Al Mimar Group; Ahmed Fathy, head of development of Capital Group Properties; Amr Sheta '89, chairman of Nile Gate for Real Estate Development and owner of El Khan Hotel El Gouna; and Maged Salah El Sin '97, vice president …

Civil Society And State Fragility In Angola, Salma Essam El Refaei

The Undergraduate Research Journal

State fragility is becoming increasingly alarming as an epidemic in our world today. It breeds crippling crises and can have irrevocable effects. According to Robert I. Rotberg, fragile states are hubs for both: local and international crimes, human and drug trafficking, terror and human rights violations amongst other problems acting as a social menace to the globe (Rotberg, 2003, p.6). One of the main reasons why fragile states are alarming is that the problems they bring about are rarely contained. They automatically overspill due to the complexity of some of the problems as well as the interdependence of the world’s …

Civil Society And State Practices In Egypt. Case Studies: Innovation And Civic Education, Rana Gaber

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I explore the different factors enabling civil society in influencing state practices. And how this is reflected in the social and economic development of the state. I am mainly focusing on Egypt, specifically going through a comparative analysis of the different development strategies from Nasser till Al Sisy. In addition, drawing a comparison between Innovation and Civic Education as two case studies. The framework through which the dynamic state society relations are explored is Michael Mann's "Sources of Social Power" and Joel S. Migdal's "Strong Societies and Weak States". The different factors I identified were; political change, …

Solar Developing Egypt, Salma Talaat

The Undergraduate Research Journal

Despite the ongoing debate on the usefulness of solar energy, it cannot be denied that Egypt has a high solar availability, and its energy can be used for water pumping, telecommunications, electrification, etc. Unfortunately, little has been done over the years to secure this sustainable type of energy. My paper will confirm my opinion of the importance and effectiveness of solar energy. It will also focus on how solar electricity will ensure electrification and the supply of safe drinking water. For millions around Egypt, electricity and safe drinking water are unavailable. Hence, harnessing the power of the sun through solar …

Responsibility For Displacement: Between Denial And Obfuscation, Veronica Øverlid

Theses and Dissertations

When refugees and migrants arrive in Europe, European states portray themselves as inadvertent hosts to unanticipated crises: well-intentioned, sorely-stretched, and attempting to negotiate a reasonable solution and find the middle ground between fairly balancing the needs of refugees and their own citizens. To the contrary, I argue that European states, like many other developed countries, themselves take part in creating conditions for displacement in the Third World. This is done through, among other things, international legal regimes for the global economy, trade, war, and the environmental. Although local factors also play an important role in Third World displacement, external interventions …

Egypt And Malaysia: Investment, Education And Economic Growth, Noor Elghorab

The Undergraduate Research Journal

Numerous economists have explained economic growth using multiple theories and models, many of which highlight the importance of the accumulation of physical and human capital as the main determinants of growth. This paper aims to study the effect of investment in physical capital and human capital on economic growth and income per capita in Egypt and Malaysia, then develop an inter-relationship between the two forms of capital. The paper argues, using evidence in the form of literature and data, that there is a strong connection between physical and human capital and that sustainable economic growth can only be achieved by …

The Use Of Social Media As A Communication Tool By International Development Organizations: A Case Study Of The United Nations Children’S Fund (Unicef) In Egypt, Inas Taha Abbas Hamad

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates to understand how the United Nations development organizations in Egypt can manage social media as a communication tool to achieve their development objectives. A case study of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Egypt, is introduced. Using the Excellence Theory in Public Relations developed by Grunig (2002), this study examines how social media can contribute to the strategic management of the organization, rather than being a messaging, publicity, and media relations function. Through a content analysis of a number of social media pages of the UN organizations in Egypt, and in-depth interviews with four senior communication officers …

Law Models For One World, Ahmed Anany Anan

Theses and Dissertations

The World Bank's prevailing conception that unifies the economic tools and the social goals of development in one comprehensive agenda through using law models in the core is unrealistic process that allows the Bank to play a political role regarding the policies of the member countries. The alternative strategy, in my view, is either to determine a point of reference to lead the development process of the transition countries instead of providing unified law models or to determine a specific legal reform agenda for each country that is compatible with its priorities and necessities. This alternative strategy should be limited …

Liberia's Gemap: A New Wave In Development Intervention?, Edefe Ojomo

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Significance Of The "Self": A Study On The "Self" In Development Discourse, Lulie El-Ashry

Archived Theses and Dissertations

The study seeks to understand the role and significance of the 'self within the context of the current development discourse. In order to establish a relationship between the 'self' and development discourse the awareness and understanding of the 'self' by the individual must first occur. Acquiring a sense of 'self is particularly important for the individual who works as a development practioner who seeks to help others via development practice. By gaining a sense of the existence of their 'self and the myriad effects this 'self' can have, the practioner will be able to question the underlying and fundamental concepts …

International Development Donors And Non-Governmental Organizations: "An Exploratory Pilot Study For The Relationship Dynamics Within The Egyptian Development Context", Dalia Salah El-Noury

Archived Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to explore the relationship, both real and perceived, between international development donors and NGOs within the Egyptian development context, and examines how the relation affects development work. The interaction with governmental organizations, and how these influence the relationship is also reflected in this study. The research traces the evolution of development theories and foreign aid prior to examining foreign aid in the local Egyptian context and the NGOs working environment.

This research fieldwork was conducted through semi structured interviews and a formal questionnaire, though only a part of the sample answered the questionnaire, on two foreign donors …

Development As 'Hostage': A Look At The World Bank's Participation Agenda, Amr Afifi Mahmoud Selim

Archived Theses and Dissertations

Participatory development is the embodiment of an approach that emphasizes a 'people centered' version of development, which ultimately aims to empower the people - so frequently portrayed as the 'objects' of development- to control their own development and the means by which it is to be achieved. This thesis examines the representation of the participation paradigm as per the discourse of that most important of development institutions- the World Bank- and provides an assessment of the latter's incorporation of participation in its activities.

This thesis essentially deals with a development paradigm that has gained significant ground in recent years, so …

The Khan Al-Khalili District: Development, Topography And Context From The 12th To The 21st Centaury, Ola Rashad Seif

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Egyptian Political Cartoons: Evolution And Impact As Seen By Cartoonists Themselves, Rania Mohamed Saleh

Archived Theses and Dissertations

The power of Egyptian political cartoonists is immense. By means of their simple drawings, cartoonists can reach the mind of the people in less time than the political leader does via speeches. They have usually found ways to circumvent the censorship, which has been strict over different periods of time, and put forward their criticism. This study looks at the role of political cartoons in depicting major events, developments, and trends (e/d/ts) in Egypt. Through a series of Delphi questionnaires, these e/d/ts were determined by 23 political cartoonists, who also recorded their perspective regarding the impact of cartoons on the …

State-Led Technological Development In South Korea And India, Hanaa M Ebeid

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The International Conference On Population And Development: The Media & Population, Amina El Afifi

Archived Theses and Dissertations

This thesis compares and contrasts the portrayal of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) as presented by Egyptian intellectuals, using the newspapers as a medium, and the message disseminated by the ICPD. The primary objective of the thesis is to assess the validity of the concerns of some of the arguments put forth by the Egyptian intellectuals by reference to an analytical discussion of these issues within a global debate as well as concurrent debates within Egypt. Locating these concerns in both the Egyptian and global contexts will identify the nature of the controversy and enable the thesis …