The Egyptians Dreaming of a Better Yesterday
Nostalgia has had a subtle, yet constant presence on Egyptian social media for the past few years. Since 2011, dozens of pages dedicated to a particular time period, such as the monarchy or the rule of Nasser, have appeared and their popularity has been on the rise ever since. The purpose of these pages seems to go beyond the admiration of snapshots of the past, as the content is often utilized to reflect and express Egyptians’ growing discontent with the present. Yet, despite their similarities, the different nostalgics appear unable to find common grounds, instead actively engaging in arguing with and ‘othering’ their counterparts. But why are the nostalgic Facebook users so adamant to attack people that largely share their passion and outlook? This presentation is concerned with precisely this issue. It focuses on two main case studies, namely the monarchy nostalgics and those admiring the rule of Nasser. The paper begins by briefly defining the concept of nostalgia and introducing the followers of the Facebook pages. It then goes on to examining their social media activity, paying particular attention to the similarities and differences between them, as well as the way they criticize each other. Ultimately, the work argues that the complex relationship between the two groups of nostalgics is to a large extent a result of the nature of the sentiment itself, the competing historical narratives in Egypt and the ways in which the parties involved attempt to negotiate their identities within their specific contexts.
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