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EGYPT 1920s

Egypt 1920s: Feminism, Nationalism, and Islam

by Heather Keaney

Dueling modernities on the way to independence

Egypt has gained limited independence from Great Britain and a new constitutional monarchy. But 18 months in, the new democratic mechanisms are already faltering. Furthermore, Egypt is not fully independent. The challenge is that many of the reforms that will supposedly prepare Egypt for independence make Egypt look more and more like Britain. Is it the case that Egypt has to become more like Britain in order to achieve independence from Britain? Students are politicians, industrialists, feminists, reformers, and religious leaders debating whether different proposed reforms are making Egypt modern or western. This is not theoretical. Each game session presents competing reform proposals and players must invest “capital” into the reforms they most want to see. The game develops based on the outcome of the competition within each game session as well as how students strategize how to invest their Capital in one area of reform rather than another. Rather than set factions and indeterminates, all players have strong views on some issues and are persuadable on others. The role of women in the family and society is frequently the test case for debates around how to be politically and economically modern and remain culturally rooted and authentic: such as girls education, women’s suffrage, and change to Islamic marriage laws.

This is a Level 3 game that is still under development but has been approved by the Reacting Editorial Board (REB) for general use. A detailed explanation of the editorial process and game levels can be found on our REB Page.

ABOUT THE GAME

Details

Disciplines
Cultural and Social History; Economics and Economic History; Political Science and Government; Religion; Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, World History


Era 
20th Century


Geography 
Egypt, Africa, SW Asia


Notable Roles

Saad Zaghul, Leader of the Wafd Party;


Huda Shaarawi, Founder of the Egyptian Feminist Union;


Rashid Rida, Early Islamist

Themes and Issues  
Islamic Modernism, Feminism, Independence, Nationalism, Economic Development


Player Interactions 
Factional, Collaborative, Coalition-Building


Sample Class Titles

Perspectives on World History, 1350-Present; Women in the Middle East; Modern Middle East History

In a Few Words

The cost of independence; Modernization vs. Westernization


Level
Level 3 game (what's that mean?

Mechanics 
Money/Currency, Rolling Dice


Chaos and Demand on Instructor 
This game is mildly chaotic and mildly demanding on the instructor.


There are two primary game mechanisms:

1) different dueling proposals in each game session and 2) players investing "Capital" in their preferred proposals.


Primary Source Highlights
 
The Liberation of Women; Qasim Amin,

Women and Work; Nabawiyya Musa

The Theology of Unity; Muhammad Abduh

Using the Game

Class Size and Scalability 
This game is recommended for classes with 18-33 students.

Class Time  
For this game, 3-4 setup sessions and 5-6 game sessions are recommended.


Possible Reacting Game Pairings

This game can be used on its own, or with other games. These pairings are meant to be illustrative rather than exhaustive or prescriptive. Egypt 1920s may pair well with:


Assignments

You can adjust the assignments based on the desired learning outcomes of your class. This game can include journalism and traditional thesis-driven writing.


GAME MATERIALS

Reacting Consortium members can download all game materials below. You will be asked to sign in before downloading.  

Please Fill out the Permissions Request Form Before Using Egypt 1920s in Your Class!

Gamebook

All students need a Gamebook, which includes resources and historical content. Members can download the Gamebook, and provide it to students for free or at cost.

Updated September 2024.

Instructor's Manual

The Instructor's Manual includes guidance for assigning roles, presenting historical context, assignments, activities and discussion topics, and more.

Role Sheets & Additional Materials

Students also need a Role Sheet, which contains biographical information, suggestions for further reading, and role-specific info or assignments.  


ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Heather Keaney

Professor Keaney has a PhD in Middle East History from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has taught for over a decade at the American University in Cairo before returning to Santa Barbara to teach at Westmont College. She teaches a courses on different aspects of Middle East history as well as world history.

QUESTIONS

Members can contact game authors directly

We invite instructors join our Facebook Faculty Lounge, where you'll find a wonderful community eager to help and answer questions. We also encourage you to submit your question for the forthcoming FAQ, and to check out our upcoming events


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