I was immensely moved, as many others were, by the scene of Egyptians taking to the streets in January 2011 demanding more freedom, and witnessing the end of an era of corruption and oppression. I felt so proud of the changes that had been made in just eighteen days, and the peacefulness and perseverance of so many young revolutionaries; in fact, a protest on that scale was unimaginable for many Egyptians of my generation.

I have wanted to write about the uprisings since then, and I have keenly accessed many resources, both in Arabic and English, as can be seen from the extensive bibliography. I have also followed hundreds of television programmes, zapping from one Egyptian channel to another, to watch events as they unfolded; indeed, the pace of change was so fast: ministers, prime ministers and even presidents frequently came and went within the space of three years. It was difficult to structure an informed discussion about the Egyptian uprisings while changes constantly disrupted the political scene.

The topic of this book emerged from scores of discussions with Egyptian friends and acquaintances about our Egyptian identity. It is an identity that we have taken for granted but the premise of which we have been unable to define. We have wondered if, historically, we have shared a national ethos or an Egyptian Dream. This volume contributes to the debate about Egyptian national identity, and I invite comments and critiques from readers, wherever they are in the world.

I see this book about national identity as an extension of my previous work about Arab journalism and media (Mellor 2007). This subject has already been discussed in numerous academic works, but national identity underpins the symbols and representations circulated by mainstream media, which can play a major role in fostering a certain image of that identity. All forms of communication, in fact, including objects such as the Egyptian flag, help instil a sense of national loyalty.

This volume is in honour of that nation, and dedicated to all Egyptian youth, who have shown great resilience and determination to challenge and deliberate – against all odds – in their desire to realise the Egyptian Dream.