The Nile: Histories, Cultures, Myths

Description

Intercultural relations have revolved around the River Nile throughout recorded history: sharing the river's waters, Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Sudanese have developed rich dialogues of mutual cultural enrichment, as well as misconceptions and conflicts. This volume represents a rigorous scholarly attempt to trace these complex relations, exploring the multifaceted representations of the Nile, both in the region and in the West, from early medieval times to the present. Underlying the authors’ analysis is their recognition that the resurgent nationalism and sociopolitical revolutions of the present century have aggravated historical conflicts and often reinvented traditional images. Their hope is that reconstructing the continuum of the Nile's history, its changes, and its cultural reciprocity will enhance mutual understanding as the regional faces the acute water problems predicted for the future.