Human Rights & Ethnocentrism in Egypt
Ethnocentrism is a term used in circles where ethnicity and similar in-group issues are of concern. It can be defined as the belief that a group and its customs are superior to others. Throughout history, many wars and social movements started due to the subject of ethnocentrism. Egypt, in particular, has been the subject of this idea in the past. On February 28, 1922, the Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence was commissioned by the United Kingdom. Shortly after, Fuad I became the King of Egypt. Prior to this event, the people started protests, petitions, and strikes against the British in hopes of ending their rule. This was the country’s first major independence movement to fight ethnocentrism. Years later, Egypt held some of its first presidential elections. In June 2012, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi won the presidential election. The events that occurred after this election unraveled into months of violence. Violent protests broke out and resulted in the deaths of thousands of Egyptians. The military eventually overthrew Morsi and established a militant rule. However, violence continued, and hundreds were killed after security forces attacked protest camps in Cairo set up by Morsi. The country then went into a state of emergency and imposed curfews. Farish Noor defines eurocentrism as “the emerging perception within the European cultural, historical experience of European identity as good and all other forms as less good or less advanced.” In other words, eurocentrism is a way of thinking in which European and Western cultures are viewed as superior to other cultures around the world. Overall, the northern African region has suffered from past ethnocentric views for a substantial period of time.
