Singing the Nation. An examination of Belonging, Gender and Modernity in Nasser's Egypt through the work of Umm Kulthum: Continuously an important and popular persona in contemporary Egypt, Umm Kulthum has shown to be an extremely powerful and influential figure. In this thesis, I show that Kulthum participated in the construction of politics of belonging in Egypt through her multifaceted political support for Nasser, through her art and public persona/symbolic role. The analyses of narratives reveal how cultural productions such as music reflected public discourses in Nasser’s Egypt and how they at the same time were part of shaping national hegemonic narratives.
Translated title
Singing the Nation. An examination of Belonging, Gender and Modernity in Nasser's Egypt through the work of Umm Kulthum
Author
Pallesen, Anna Drude Schou
Term
4. term
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-11-10
Pages
54
Abstract
This thesis examines how the Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum became a cultural and political force in Nasser’s Egypt, shaping national narratives and experiences of belonging. It addresses two questions: how her performances and political participation contributed to the production of national belonging, and in what ways her role as a unifying figure across gender, class, nationality, and religion can be understood. The study draws on theories of nation, power, (post)colonialism, gender, identity, and the politics of belonging. Methodologically, it employs narrative analysis of her songs, speeches, and public persona through an intersectional lens that links gender, class, and religious/national belonging, using historical literature and the author’s own translations of lyrics. Through chapters on the political power of poetry and music, gendered narratives, and the romantic, religious, and national repertoires, the thesis argues that Kulthum’s music and persona bridged apparent oppositions (rural and modern, pious and secular, masculine and feminine) and supported Nasser’s nation-building by generating emotions of community, grief, and productivity that rallied diverse audiences and reinforced the regime’s legitimacy. It concludes by highlighting Kulthum’s enduring legacy and the need for nuanced understandings of gender in the Middle East.
Specialet undersøger, hvordan sangerinden Umm Kulthum i Nassers Egypten blev en kulturel og politisk kraft, der var med til at forme nationale fortællinger og oplevelser af tilhørsforhold. Udgangspunktet er to spørgsmål: hvordan bidrog hun gennem sine optrædener og sin politiske deltagelse til at skabe nationalt tilhørsforhold, og hvordan kan hendes rolle som samlende figur på tværs af køn, klasse, nationalitet og religion forstås? Teoretisk trækker studiet på begreber om nation, magt, (post)kolonialisme, køn, identitet og tilhørsforhold. Metodisk anvendes narrativ analyse af hendes sange, taler og offentlige iscenesættelse med et intersektionelt perspektiv, der forbinder køn, klasse og religiøs/national tilhørshed; analysen baseres på historisk litteratur og forfatterens egne oversættelser af sangtekster. Gennem kapitler om poesins og musikkens politiske kraft, kønnede fortællinger, det romantiske, religiøse og nationale repertoire argumenterer specialet for, at Kulthums musik og persona forenede tilsyneladende modsætninger (landlig og moderne, from og sekulær, maskulin og feminin) og understøttede Nassers nationsbygning ved at skabe følelser af fællesskab, sorg og produktivitet, som samlede brede befolkningsgrupper og styrkede regimets legitimitet. Afslutningsvis peger specialet på Kulthums vedvarende eftermæle og behovet for nuancerede forståelser af køn i Mellemøsten.
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Keywords
Umm Kulthum ; Nationalism ; Nation Building ; Belonging ; Gender ; Music ; Egypt ; Post colonialism