From the Margins of the Field or the Midan

Abstract This article introduces the concept of the affective register of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution that captures three affective states. Namely: (1) The making of ‘The People’ in the famous slogan, “The people demand the downfall of the regime”. An affective state that reflects the coming together of people from diverse political backgrounds, religious affiliations, socio-economic classes, and across the classic gender divide, not just as materiality, but also as a feeling expressed by many. (2) The breaking of fear, and (3) the expansion of political imaginaries of the possible in a repressive postcolonial state. Empirically, the article explores the narrative of Gerges who was 22 during the revolution, a Coptic young man from the popular neighborhood of Shubra in Cairo to tell the story of the Midan from its margins. The article details his participation in the revolution, how he experienced the Midan, and what he witnessed in Shubra as people started attacking police stations and tried to enact their version of street justice.