Mona Eltahawy
Encyclopedia
Mona Eltahawy (born 1 August 1967, Port Said, Egypt) is a freelance Egyptian-American journalist based in New York.
Eltahawy was educated at the American University in Cairo
, from which she has an MA in Journalism. Before moving from her native Egypt to the United States in 2000, Eltahawy was a news reporter for a decade. She was a correspondent for Reuters
News Agency in Cairo
and Jerusalem, reported from the Middle East for the UK's Guardian
newspaper and was a stringer for U.S. News and World Report.
She wrote a weekly column for the Saudi-owned international Arab publication Asharq Al-Awsat for some years before her articles were discontinued
for being "too critical" of the Egyptian regime, she claimed in an article written for the International Herald Tribune
in 2006.
However, the ban imposed by Asharq Al-Awsats editor in chief, Tariq Alhomayed
, gave Eltahawy a platform and she now writes essays and op-eds for publications worldwide on Egypt
and the Islamic world, including women's issues and Muslim
political and social affairs. Eltahawy is active in the Progressive Muslim Union
, and has been a strong critic of the Egypt
-based Muslim Brotherhood
. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, The New York Times
, Christian Science Monitor, and the Miami Herald among others.
Eltahawy is a frequent guest analyst on U.S. radio and television news shows. She also speaks publicly at universities, panel discussions and interfaith gatherings on human rights and reform in the Islamic world, feminism and Egyptian Muslim-Christian relations in addition to her other concerns. From 2002 to 2004, she was managing editor of the Arabic-language version of Women's eNews
, an independent, non-profit news website that covers women's issues from around the world.
The Economist
in 2009 credited Eltahawy with coining the phrase "the opium of the Arabs", referring to "an intoxicating way for (Arab leaders) to forget their own failings or at least blame them on (Israel). Arab leaders have long practice of using Israel as a pretext for maintaining states of emergency at home and putting off reform."
On 24 November 2011, she tweeted (@monaeltahawy) "beaten arrested in interior ministry" amid renewed protests in Tahrir Square. She was held in custody for 12 hours and accused those who held her of physical and sexual assault. Her left arm and right hand were fractured.
Eltahawy is a board member of the Progressive Muslim Union of North America.
Eltahawy was educated at the American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
, from which she has an MA in Journalism. Before moving from her native Egypt to the United States in 2000, Eltahawy was a news reporter for a decade. She was a correspondent for Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
News Agency in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Jerusalem, reported from the Middle East for the UK's Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper and was a stringer for U.S. News and World Report.
She wrote a weekly column for the Saudi-owned international Arab publication Asharq Al-Awsat for some years before her articles were discontinued
Tariq Alhomayed
Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Alawsat, the youngest person to be appointed that position. Alhomyed has been a guest analyst and commentator on numerous news and current affair programs including: the BBC, German TV, Al Arabiya, Al-Hurra, LBC and the acclaimed Imad Live’s...
for being "too critical" of the Egyptian regime, she claimed in an article written for the International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
in 2006.
However, the ban imposed by Asharq Al-Awsats editor in chief, Tariq Alhomayed
Tariq Alhomayed
Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Alawsat, the youngest person to be appointed that position. Alhomyed has been a guest analyst and commentator on numerous news and current affair programs including: the BBC, German TV, Al Arabiya, Al-Hurra, LBC and the acclaimed Imad Live’s...
, gave Eltahawy a platform and she now writes essays and op-eds for publications worldwide on Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and the Islamic world, including women's issues and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
political and social affairs. Eltahawy is active in the Progressive Muslim Union
Progressive Muslim Union
The Progressive Muslim Union of North America was a liberal Islamic organization. The group officially launched on November 15, 2004 in Manhattan but was disbanded in December 2006...
, and has been a strong critic of the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
-based Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Christian Science Monitor, and the Miami Herald among others.
Eltahawy is a frequent guest analyst on U.S. radio and television news shows. She also speaks publicly at universities, panel discussions and interfaith gatherings on human rights and reform in the Islamic world, feminism and Egyptian Muslim-Christian relations in addition to her other concerns. From 2002 to 2004, she was managing editor of the Arabic-language version of Women's eNews
Women's eNews
Women's eNews is a nonprofit online news service based in New York City. It publishes international news articles specializing in coverage of women's lives.- History :...
, an independent, non-profit news website that covers women's issues from around the world.
The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
in 2009 credited Eltahawy with coining the phrase "the opium of the Arabs", referring to "an intoxicating way for (Arab leaders) to forget their own failings or at least blame them on (Israel). Arab leaders have long practice of using Israel as a pretext for maintaining states of emergency at home and putting off reform."
On 24 November 2011, she tweeted (@monaeltahawy) "beaten arrested in interior ministry" amid renewed protests in Tahrir Square. She was held in custody for 12 hours and accused those who held her of physical and sexual assault. Her left arm and right hand were fractured.
Eltahawy is a board member of the Progressive Muslim Union of North America.
Awards & honors
- Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the PressSamir KassirSamir Kassir was a Lebanese professor of history at Saint-Joseph University and journalist. Born to a Palestinian father and a Syrian mother, Kassir received his degree in philosophy and political philosophy in 1984, in 1990, Kassir earned his PhD in Modern History also from the University of...
, for opinion writing by the European Commission (2009) - Cutting Edge Prize, for distinguished contribution to the coverage of the Middle East by Next Century FoundationNext Century FoundationThe Next Century Foundation is an elite organisation that operates in various conflict zones across the globe. Originally established in 1990 to provide a forum for off-the-record discussions between Palestinians and Israelis, in addition to maintaining its original focus on the Middle East Peace...
. (2006) - Distinguished Visiting Professor at the American University in Cairo (2006)
- Muslim Leader of Tomorrow by the American Society for Muslim Advancement (2005)
External links
- Official website of Mona Eltahawy
- Mona Eltahawy Twitter account
- Video: Presentation and Q&A with Ralph Begleiter at the University of Delaware February 25, 2009
- Mona Eltahawy: "Mubarak is Our Berlin Wall" - video interview by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
- Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press