Amid the turbulence of the Arab Spring, the revolutionary uprising that played out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square created high expectations before dashing many of its participants’ hopes. The unpredictаble events and rapid upheaval that followed mean that five years later, Egypt’s unfinished revolution remains shrouded in confusion. The politics of the street has given way to Islamist–military détentes, the undoing of 2011’s democratic experiment, and unanswered questions around religion in the public arena.
A Revolution Undone blends analysis and narrative, charting Egypt’s journey from Tahrir to Sisi from the perspective of an author and scholar who experienced it first-hand. Scrutinising Egyptian society and public opinion, Islamism and Islam, the military and government, as well as the West’s reaction to events, Hellyer provides a much-needed appraisal of Egypt’s future prospects.