The Arab Mind Bound

The Arab Spring in Egypt and Tunisia was a manifestation of all that is amiss in the Arab world. Heggy seeks to understand the conditions which created the breeding ground for those upheavals. He deals first with religion, and how Islam is seen and propagated as a religion of violence. However this is one interpretation of Islam, while others call for moderation and progress. He explains the factors which led to the rapid spread and influence of violent Islam and its effect on Arab societies. A key player in the power struggle in Egypt is the Muslim Brotherhood. Are they the radical Islamists of Mubarak propaganda, the democratic actors they claim to be, or is the truth more complex than that? Heggy’s chapter on the Muslim Brotherhood should be read by all who have a stake in peace in the Middle East or an interest in Egypt. Next he tackles the backward education system that engenders misconceptions which, in turn, provoke political, social, and economic problems. These trigger a vicious circle which fortifies the existing Arab mindset. Arab societies are thus trapped in a cycle of political, social, and economic problems to which the only solution is science and modern management.

Tarek Heggy is an Egyptian liberal political thinker and international petroleum strategist. His extensive writings advocate the values of modernity, democracy, tolerance, and women’s rights in the Middle East—advancing them as universal values essential to the region’s progress. As one of the contemporary leading Egyptian liberal theoreticians, he has lectured at universities throughout the world. Due to his knowledge of the Middle East, he has also been called upon to speak at various institutions and think tanks, including the Houses of Parliament and the European Union.

Contents
Preface
The Lotus Revolution
PART I. THE EMERGENCE OF AN INTOLERANT ISLAM
Introduction
1. The Emergence
2. Facing the Emergence
3. The Illusion of ‘Religious’ Parties
4. Vision … or Nightmare?
5. The Breeder
6. The Other Side of the Coin
PART II. A CONFINED AND BARRICADED MENTALITY
Introduction
7. The Problematic of the Arab Mentality
8. The Blinding Effect of Allegiance
9. The Absence of Tolerance and Critical Mind
10. Negativity and Apathy: Consequences of Marginalization
11. The ‘Self-Praise’ Syndrome
12. Destructive Beliefs
13. The Victims
14. The Reality that Arabs Neglect
Epilogue
Bibilography
Index