"Brothers" or Others? Propriety and Gender for Muslim Arab Sudanese in Egypt (review)

Scholars and policy makers are increasingly conscious that multiple identities (religious, racial, ethnic, national, etc.) often operate simultaneously and in a non-hierarchical fashion in a continuum of individual and communal allegiances. Recent scholarly literature has attempted to problematize these categories, challenge their unitarity, and explore their fluidity and the processes by which they are constructed. Anita Fábos' "Brothers" or Others? offers a rich and thoughtful portrait of the difficulties that individuals face when their citizenship and identity are disputed, contested, or stigmatized. During many years of participant observation, she studied the "dynamics of identity" of the "Muslim Arab or Northern Sudanese" community in Cairo—a "minority subject to an increasingly harsh immigration regime" (3–7).

This rich ethnographic work complicates the notions of identity, loyalty, citizenship, and inclusiveness, showing how ethnic categories and cultural references can be manipulated to determine affiliation, inclusion, or marginalization. In particular, Fábos explores the ways in which Sudanese construct their difference vis-à-vis Egyptians, yet draw from the common Muslim Arab cultural framework to create identity markers through the gendered notion of propriety. Through family ties, personal acquaintances, and 200 formal interviews, the author explores the mechanisms by which the identities of this minority group are created, perceived, and transformed. The close relationship between Egypt and Sudan has long historical roots and continues to influence individual and communal identities through an ongoing dialectical process. To understand the fluidity of these identities, as well as the ambiguities and contradictions of the legal and political status of Sudanese in Egyptian society, Fábos employs not only a wealth of ethnographic research, but also significant knowledge of colonial history and international legal regimes. Methodologically, she is a participant observer who lived among her interlocutors for many years.

The circumstances under which Sudanese immigrants arrived in Egypt call for an important analytical distinction, as different waves of immigration corresponded to changes in both countries' political climates and different perceptions of their status. Prior to 1956 (the end of the British Condominium and the independence of both countries), large numbers of Sudanese would travel to and temporarily reside in Egypt for purposes of work and public service. Sudanese "expatriates" are those who remain from that period. "Exiles" or "opposition people" (9) are Sudanese who left Sudan for fear of persecution after the 1989 coup; some of these later-comers are also economic migrants. The majority of Fábos' interlocutors are women expatriates.

The book is divided into three parts, of which the first describes the context of the research. The urban environment of Cairo is captured at a particular historical point in Sudanese-Egyptian relations, which grew increasingly strained after 1989. The author offers a thorough account of the shared history of the two countries. Egyptians and Sudanese share multiple identities but tensions are growing. On the one hand, Egyptian ambitions of control over the greater Nile Valley infuse public discourse and shape the brotherhood ideology of the two peoples. On the other hand, resistance to Egyptian hegemony has shaped Sudanese national consciousness. The rhetoric of ashshiqa' (full siblings) captures the commonality of Egyptian and Sudanese identities, including religion and culture (Islam and Arab), gender systems, historical kinship ties, trade relations, and mutual political interests. However, the new political strife of the early 1990s and the consequent racial stereotyping of immigrant Sudanese as terrorists have meant an increasingly difficult life for them in Cairo. They face increased legal restrictions and have lost their previous special/protected status in terms of residence, education, and employment; government officials harass them with impunity. These dramatic changes in life conditions have caused growing resentment of Egyptians among Sudanese and ambivalence toward their shared cultural, historical, and religious heritage.

The second part of the book examines the durability of their common Muslim and Arab identity, which has complicated the development of separate national identities. In this context, Fábos considers the formation of...