Description
Manhood Is No Easy
The Meaning of Masculinity in Egypt – Reflections on the Life of Sayed Hankash
What does a modern man understand by the term “manhood”?
What do women, children, family, neighbors, and friends expect from him?
Does masculinity come with conditions, privileges, and responsibilities? And most importantly does it have a fixed definition?
If it does, is it unchanging or evolving? And if it evolves, what determines its standards? Imagine two men meeting—one from the 1920s and the other from the 2020s how would each perceive the other’s sense of masculinity?
Is masculinity about flexibility or rigidity? Or is it both?
This book does not claim to provide definitive answers to these complex questions. Instead, it offers an engaging scientific study by a Dutch anthropologist, exploring the concept of masculinity in Egypt through an in-depth analysis of the Egyptian male mindset.
The study revolves around Sayed Hankash, a working-class Egyptian man living and working in the famous Mohamed Ali Street in downtown Cairo. However, this book is not a biography of Sayed Hankash or his family. Rather, the researcher delves into his thoughts, worldview, and philosophy on gender, masculinity, and femininity in Egypt. Readers will be intrigued by the many surprising insights and real-life observations documented throughout this academic research—insights that reflect everyday realities in contemporary Egyptian society.
A fascinating book about Egypt and Egyptians, offering a unique glimpse into the life of one of Cairo’s historic streets. Originally published in English by the American University in Cairo Press.
