Christians in Egypt

Andrea B. Rugh is Adjunct Scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC, USA. She lived in the Middle East for more than 25 years, including six years in Egypt. She has published books on family in Egypt, childrearing in Syria, and political leadership in the UAE.

"Christians in Egypt is unique and essential reading for anyone desiring a deep, multidisciplinary understanding of today's Egypt. Rugh illuminates vital aspects of modern Egyptian society with rare empathy and insight, drawing on a lifetime of intimate engagement with Egyptians. Yet she brings a foreigner's global perspective and objectivity, unsparingly analyzing the complex trends, implications, and choices facing Egyptians and those others who share a stake in Egypt's future stability and prosperity." - Francis J. Ricciardone, US Ambassador (ret.) to Egypt, 2005-2008 "This carefully constructed study is at once an anthropological account of a social service center catering to Christians, and a historical study of the Christian presence in Egypt from the perspective of some of its poorest and socially weakest members. Rugh eloquently outlines the strategies people follow to protect themselves and achieve their goals in a largely Muslim context. Anyone interested in social process in Cairo will profit from this intimate account." - Nicholas Hopkins, American University in Cairo, Egypt "Andrea Rugh is a particularly gifted scholar and author with...living and research experience in Egypt and the Arab world. Christians in Egypt is a major and unique piece of original scholarship providing an in-depth case study of Muslim-Christian relations in Egypt, underscoring the many issues faced by Christians living as minorities in Muslim-majority Egypt, Syria, and Iraq." John L. Esposito, Georgetown University, USA

• List of illustrationsPreface1. Introduction: Study Questions and the History of Christianity in Egypt 2. The Origins of Bulaq and the Social Welfare Center3. Christian Migration to Cairo4. Bulaq Center Members5. Christian Religious Community6. Personal Relations in Creating Boundaries7. Communicating the Messages of Christian Community8. Dispute Resolution in the Community9. Social Controls on Marriage10. Formal Boundaries between Christians and Muslims 11. Everyday Interactions between Christians and Muslims 12. Christian and Muslim Family Organization13. Resolving Personal Problems 14. Spirit Possession in Christian and Muslim Communities15. Christian Community in a Muslim Quarter of Cairo16. Christian Experience with National Politics to the Present17. Christian Strategies and Survival in Modern EgyptEpilogueBibliographyIndex