Political Theory Commons^™

Navigating Radical Indeterminacy In The Struggle For A Global Collective Consciousness: The Question Of Eco-Justice And Law Or Universalize The Pluriverse: A Manifesto, More Or Less, Omar Auf

Theses and Dissertations

The processes of interpretation, communication, and re-interpretation leads to the emergence of an approximated collective consciousness, for which it may be struggled and contested by hegemonic. The dominant forces of this contest, capitalism and nationalism, lead to an interdivided world: one that possesses the tools to empathize with each other but is instead leading people to keep their heads down and focus on surviving their own contexts, perceived as existing within different historical times on the same timeline. This leads to legal and justice systems that fail their claim to universality and/or impartiality. Incorporating an ecological lens to justice within …

Digital Diplomacy And Activism: Sustaining Institutional Legacy Through State-Proxy Discursive Competition In The Aftermath Of The Usaid 2025 Suspension, Maryam Alaa Elprince

Capstone and Graduation Projects

This study examines how the 2025 suspension of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) transformed the arena of U.S. foreign-aid diplomacy by eliminating the agency’s operational capacity and erasing its digital presence, thereby redistributing discursive authority across a fragmented communicative field. The research aims to determine how diplomacy adapts when a bilateral institution central to American soft power is dismantled through top-down decision, and whether discursive power exercised online can extend institutional relevance and legitimacy beyond structural collapse. Using an interpretivist qualitative design that combines digital-forensic reconstruction, document-based content analysis, and elite interviews  with top ranking officials, the …

A Tragedy Of Incommensurability: Indigenous Rights And The Limits Of Human Rights Law, Zeina Ali

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the tragedy of incommensurability between indigenous rights and international human rights law. Despite the emergence of frameworks like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), indigenous calls for sovereignty remain fundamentally unintelligible within a liberal order structured to preserve settler-state legitimacy. Tracing the historical and theoretical evolution of indigenous advocacy, this study critiques the strategic shift from demands for self-determination to claims of cultural rights. It argues that this shift offers no real alternative: self-determination and cultural rights are functionally equivalent, as both are ultimately filtered through legal and political frameworks that cannot …

Locked Gates: Japan’S Immigration Quandary In The Face Of Economic And Demographic Realities, Merna Karam Emara

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores Japan's reluctance to accept labor immigrants in the post-World War II era through the analytical lenses of identity politics and historical institutionalism. It examines how Japan’s national identity, emphasizing ethnic homogeneity and cultural preservation, has shaped restrictive immigration policies despite its economic need. Historical institutionalism provides a framework for understanding the persistence of these policies, which are rooted in the institutional legacies of Japan's post-war reconstruction. The research investigates the interplay between identity-based motivations and the institutional structures that constrain policy changes, highlighting how these dynamics have led to the exclusion of foreign labor despite the country’s …

Casar Public Lecture: The Results Are Out! Implications Of The Us 2024 Elections On Egypt & The World: Looking At A Broader Perspective’, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

DONALD TRUMP WON THE 2024 US ELECTIONS!

CASAR Public Panel Discussion: The results are out! Implications of the US 2024 Elections on Egypt & the World: Looking at a Broader Perspective."

Speakers: From AUC: Amb. Karim Haggag - Dr. Manar El-Shorbagi , and from the University of Central Florida Mr.David Dumke.

The panel was moderated by CASAR Director Dr.Mark Deets.

The panelists deliberated about the possible implications of this election round from several perspectives, analyzing the impact on Egypt, the region & the world.

Learn more about CASAR and follow us: CASAR website: https://gapp.aucegypt.edu/academics/c...

Facebook: / casar-auc-egypt-461110727349183

Instagram: https://instagram.com/casar2003?igshi.. …

A Story Of State Transformation In The Global South: Limited Statehood And Governance In Post-Syria Lebanon, Jodor Jalit

Theses and Dissertations

This research thesis analyzes security governance in areas of limited statehood in the context of state transformation. Specifically, it examines the impact of the 2005 Syrian military withdrawal on the Lebanese state in the realm of security. Briefly, the thesis unveils the coexistence of state and non-state groups and the engagement of non-state actors in state-like practices. That is, it assesses the impact of the 2005 Syrian military withdrawal on the Lebanese state to reveal the relationship its new configuration, relationship with non-state actors, and emerging governance practices. In that sense, this thesis pretends to contribute to the larger body …

Casar Student Debate #3: Can Solidarity Produce Mutual Benefits For The African Diaspora& Palestine Social Movements?, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

Every semester, CASAR AUC holds miscellaneous student debates discussing the hot controversial topics in the US, Egypt and from around the world in hopes of raising awareness about these topics & broadening the perspectives of our students as they learn to engage in fruitful discussions as they share different opinion on the topic being deliberated. At this CASAR Student Discussion event #3 in celebration of Black History Month, we watched Nelson Madela speak his mind about the topic in 1990, in which he proclaims solidarity with the Palestinian cause on behalf of the African National Congress. Then we opened the …

Social Movements And Resistance: Extinction Rebellion Against Dominant Structures, Samira M. Eltiby

Theses and Dissertations

Public dissent is the outcome of governments inaction regarding issues that populations deem as necessary. Social movements are groups that emerge due to dissatisfaction with the status quo that is presented by the current neoliberal world order. The new social movement that is studied in this thesis seeks emancipation, freedom, environmental justice and action, and the dismantlement of neoliberal capitalism as a system of production. This thesis examines the relevance of Gramscian analysis to the study of new social movements, with a focus on Gramscian hegemony and leaderless movements. The thesis uses Extinction Rebellion (XR), a UK-based movement that adopts …

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 …

Casar Public Panel Discussion: "Global And Regional Repercussions Of The 6th Of October War: Arab And American Perspectives", The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

With the 50th anniversary of the 6th of October War (1973) on the horizon, the CASAR department put together a panel to discuss different perspectives in the Middle East and United States. After an introduction to the CASAR department by Director Mark W. Deets, the panelists were introduced. This panel featured AUC History department professor Mouaness Hojairi, who discussed and contrasted Egyptian, Syrian, Palestinian, and Lebanese perspectives. Also from the history department was Professor Michael Reimer, who discussed American Jewish and Israeli perspectives on the war. The special guest for this event was a panelist, a distinguished scholar from the …

The Fall And Rise Of Bengali Muslim Conciousness: Conceptualising The Identity Of The Bangla Universal, Habib Khan

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of modern-nation states saw the end of the empirical era of exploitation and exercise of inherent racist tendencies towards the 'other'. However, the effect of that colonial system is still ever-present in the creation and governance of these newly independent states. While every new state aims to be 'modern', they adopt the international legal framework of the West as their own - a system they had initially wanted to escape. The concept of Muslim universality in the form of the ummah should have freed Pakistan from the shackles of its former colonial masters. Instead, this phenomenon was replaced …

Revolution In Cuba And Iran: Toward A Unified Theory Of Analysis, Mason Sims

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to fill a small gap in the study of revolution through unifying approaches and theories utilized to explain the complex social phenomenon. To facilitate this, a large portion of the work focuses on revolution literature which has been chosen to represent authors from the earliest generations covering the subject to the more recent. In compiling and reviewing these works, it can be seen that there exist common lines of not just explanation, but also a continuous series of critiques resurfacing within each generation. Within this compilation lies the roots of the theory presented in this thesis, that …

Moving Beyond Theory Into Practice: The Application Of The Human Rights Based Approach To Development By Egyptian Ngos, Reham Welson

Archived Theses and Dissertations

Human Rights based development is a central but vague and contested approach in development theory and practice. There is considerable rhetoric about its broad conception, techniques, mechanisms and its effect of constructing just relationships and empowering the weakest. In contrast, this thesis argues that existing interpretations and applications of the approach have overlooked the effect of relationships, power interactions, and dynamics of constructing a world view of the meaning, process and realization of the right. This relational perspective is utilized to investigate the work of four Egyptian NGOs working with the Participatory Development Program of the Canadian International Development Agency. …

Assessment Of Solid Waste Management In Egypt During The Last Decade In Light Of The Partnership Between The Egyptian Government And The Private Sector, Sohair Mourad Milik

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Engaging The Egyptian Diaspora For Development: Egyptian Government Policy And Knowledge Transfer, Iman Dawood

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Youth And Voluntary Work: Taking The Lead To A Brighter Future, Ramza Hussein Sedky

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Post-Revolutionary State Building Processes Democratization Or Divergent Paths?, Ingi Rashed

Theses and Dissertations

As many scholars argue that revolutionary changes generally leads to autocratization, evidence from recent revolutionary changes in post USSR republics and Eastern Europe demonstrate that divergent regime types emerge thereafter. On the one hand, the case of Poland in the aftermath of the collapse of USSR demonstrates that the first few years after regime removal from power are crucial to the emerging new regime. Additionally, Poland proved that democratization can emerge if various institutional settings take place hand in hand with the existence of certain dynamics that shape decision making processes and society agency.On the other hand, the case of …

The Sacred Cow And The New Comer: A Comparative Study Of Nation-State And Umma, Ayat Abdulaty Mohamed

Theses and Dissertations

International relations discipline witnessed debates among its mainstream theories. Today the debate worthy of attention is the Western-centrism of the discipline. There is an immense critique of the Westphalian state order, the nation-state, and the absence of religion in IR theory. This research aspires to partially account for the voids of the IR theory. It engages with the debate over the Western-centrism and the loopholes of IRT. This thesis introduces a non-Western contribution to international relations, an Islamic perspective of IR. This thesis argues that for IR discipline to be truly pluralistic and to claim universality it should be opened …

Civil Society: Agent Of Change In Egypt, Ola Kubbara

Archived Theses and Dissertations

Egypt has been dominated by an authoritarian regime for decades now, which ensured its ultimate monopoly over power and government, as well as over civil society. Civil society in Egypt is a very important factor that determines the development of the process of democratization, as well as the political and social stability of the state. The role of civil society, the degree of its autonomy or its repression, reflects on all aspects of political, social and economic spheres. The lagging democracy and the augmented level of social repression and stagnation in Egypt, is due to the weakness of civil society. …

Fgm Abandonment In Egypt: A Case Study Of Changing Behavioural Patterns And Attitudes Towards Fgm In The Village Of Benban, Aswan, Laila Mahmoud El Moshneb

Archived Theses and Dissertations

[abstract not provided]

The Failure Of The Oslo Peace Process: Causes And Impacts, Nidal Mahmoud Al-Natour

Archived Theses and Dissertations

[abstracts not provided]

Monitoring And Evaluation In Egypt, Reham Nabil Abdel Hamid

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Whatever Happened To The State?: A Preliminary Analysis Of The Role Of State And Civil Society In Development Discourse, Corrie Blankenbeckler

Archived Theses and Dissertations

The basic research problem of this thesis lies in the conflicting nature of the policies of the international financial system and of non-government organizations with regard to the state. Contemporary discourse in the international aid community manifests a deep mistrust of state institutions' ability to effectively manage developments reforms, but lacks the theoretical foundations and organizational methodologies that would be necessary to develop strategies to build up the state so that it might better perform its duties and minimize corruption.

An Evaluation Of Two Community Based Initiatives, Salma Abdel Rahman Sabri

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Egypt's Position Towards The Implementation Of The Convention Of Biological Diversity, Shatha Soliman Hamid

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Latent Resistance, Deena Magdy Abul Fottouh

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Japanese Development Assistance In Japan's Foreign Policy, Mai Mohamed Abdelmoniem

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Information And Training Center For Future Entrepreneurs, Hanan Galal Dowidar

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Pattern Of Relations Between Sadat's Regime And The Military Elite, Ahmed Abou-Zeid El-Sherif

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Relative Autonomy Of The State, Tamer El-Meehy

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.