Title: Egypt and the Contradictions of Liberalism

On October 25, 2017, authors Dalia Fahmy and Daanish Faruqi discussed their latest book Egypt and the Contradictions of Liberalism, which argues that the failure of the Egyptian liberal activists and intelligentsia post-2011 Arab Spring were largely based on inherent contradictions, from its institutional dimensions and frameworks to its ideological and philosophical foundations. By highlighting how these models and ideas were based on European and secular models, Dalia and Daanish argued that this project of reform was actually a product of the state itself. This talked also surveyed liberal political philosophy and its limitations, while also analyzing the role of the Egyptian Parliament as just one of many examples of the structural institutions of the Egyptian state. As an unfinished project, Dalia and Daanish concluded that the inherent contradictions of the liberal political parties can indeed be overcome and must be reinstated in order to speak to the needs of the everyday Egyptian people.