About this episode

Professor Bahia Shehab discusses the evolution of Egyptian print advertising and its cultural implications over the past century.

Egyptian print media has historically functioned as a cultural barometer, shifting from the early official bulletins of the 20th century into a relentless and aggressive form of capitalism on steroids. Professor Bahia Shehab discusses her book, "A Trade in Dreams: A Century of Egyptian Print Advertising", unpacking how visual culture has been both a witness to and a victim of political upheaval. Her research illuminates a century where advertising functioned as legalized psychological operations, deeply embedded in the daily life of Cairo. By dissecting the visual language of the past, she provides a necessary framework for understanding the mono-culture and flattening of aesthetic diversity in the modern era.

People in this episode

Guest: Professor Bahia Shehab

Topics covered

• Egyptian print media
• advertising
• cultural history
• political upheaval
• visual culture

Keywords

• Egyptian print advertising
• cultural barometer
• capitalism
• visual culture
• political upheaval

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: A Trade in Dreams: A Century of Egyptian Print Advertising

Places: Cairo

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