Ibrahim Abdu
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Ibrahim Abdu (1332–1406 AH / 1913–1986 CE) was an Egyptian historian, academic, and pioneer scholar of Arab and Egyptian journalism . He was best known for his foundational academic studies on the history of the press, notably Tatawwur al-Sahafa al-Misriyya (The Development of the Egyptian Press) .
Academic Career and Journalistic Work
Abdu earned multiple academic degrees and specialized in the history and craft of journalism . He served as the first dean of the Institute of Editing, Translation, and Journalism prior to the establishment of the Faculty of Mass Communication in Egypt . As a practitioner and writer, he contributed articles to the newspaper Kawkab al-Sharq and the magazine Bint al-Nil .
During the July 1952 Revolution, Abdu was studying in the United States, where he organized conferences advocating for the revolution and speaking on its behalf . Upon returning to Egypt, he spent several years working abroad in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait before returning to establish a publishing house that eventually engaged around thirty university professors specializing in publishing books and encyclopedias . In 1402 AH, Cairo University appointed him as an adjunct professor in its Faculty of Mass Communication .
Political Stance and Later Life
Despite his initial support for the 1952 movement, Abdu later launched a fierce critique of the post-revolutionary regime . Following the death of Gamal Abdel Nasser, he published Tarikh bi-la Watha'iq (History Without Documents) and wrote Nifaqistan (Hypocrisystan), a sharp satirical critique of political sycophancy that went through numerous editions and received coverage in the international press . Abdu died in 1406 AH (1986 CE) .
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List of Works
Tatawwur al-Sahafa al-Misriyya 1798–1981 (The Development of the Egyptian Press 1798–1981) is a historical study tracing the evolution, politics, and legal framework of Egyptian journalism from the French expedition through the late twentieth century.