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Mediatizing Slum Relocation in Egypt: Between Legitimization and Stigmatization
[journal article]
Abstract In Egypt, the relocation of residents of informal areas of housing into "proper" living environments is presented as a major political achievement offering citizens a much-improved quality of life. Therefore, it is not surprising that, following the Arab Uprisings, the current regime is widely publi... view more
In Egypt, the relocation of residents of informal areas of housing into "proper" living environments is presented as a major political achievement offering citizens a much-improved quality of life. Therefore, it is not surprising that, following the Arab Uprisings, the current regime is widely publicizing relocation projects as success stories on TV and social media. As a way of garnering legitimization and securing stability, this official representation is reshaping the residents' urban life and evoking narratives of slum dwellers' transformation into respected citizens. Tackling a new area of interdisciplinary research between urban studies and media and communication studies, this article investigates the portrayal in mainstream media channels and social media platforms of two relocation projects (Al-Asmarat in Cairo and Al-Max in Alexandria), contrasting them with the residents' perceptions of their new homes and their efforts to produce counter-imagery. The authors argue that both the state-dominated representation of the Al-Asmarat resettlement as an ideal solution to the crisis of informal settlements, as well as the more bottom-up construction of the Al-Max community as a picturesque fishing community, do not reflect the material experience of the inhabitants - despite it being presented as such in nationwide reporting. The effective centering of the public debate around the mediatized images has thus deflected criticism and enabled urban development projects to be positioned to legitimize the current rule despite the shortcomings of their implementation.... view less
Classification
Sociology of Settlements and Housing, Urban Sociology
Media Politics, Information Politics, Media Law
Media Contents, Content Analysis
Free Keywords
informal settlements; legitimization; mediatization; relocation; social media; urban development
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
Page/Pages
p. 345-359
Journal
Media and Communication, 9 (2021) 4
Issue topic
Ten Years after the Arab Uprisings: Beyond Media and Liberation
ISSN
2183-2439
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed