CFR's Steven A. Cook discusses his book The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square with students.

CFR Senior Fellow Steven Cook assess the insecurity and unrest in Egypt as the country prepares for parliamentary elections in November. Cook, who was in Cairo when the revolt broke out, has recently authored The Struggle for Egypt—a new book providing one of the first historical analyses explaining the reasons behind the uprising.

Mark Lagon argues that President Obama's approach to foreign affairs suggests that
 while the president may be for “soft power,” he is not so sure about America's moral authority to project it.

Yasmine El Rashidi examines why many Egyptians consider the violence surrounding the "Bloody Sunday" Coptic march as a dark turning point in the country's bid to build an inclusive democratic society.

The weekend's military crackdown on Coptic Christian demonstrations in Cairo underscores Egypt's sectarian problems, the entrenched power of the military, and the weakness of the country's economy.

Ed Husain says political, social, and economic expectations in Egypt are running exceptionally high at the moment, but even with parliamentary elections starting next month, there is a dearth of good presidential candidates.

Egypt's 2011 revolution marks the latest chapter in Egyptians' longtime struggle for greater democratic freedoms. In this video, Steven A. Cook, CFR's Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies and author of "The Struggle for Egypt", identifies the lessons that Egypt's emerging leadership must learn from the Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak regimes.

CFR senior fellow Steven Cook traces the “stirrings of Egyptian nationalism” back to the 1880s and culminates with the events in Tahrir Square in early 2011. He chronicles the end of the British occupation, the emergence of the Muslim Brotherhood, the rise of Nasser and his quest to become a pan-Arab leader in the 1960s, Egypt's decision to make peace with Israel and ally with United States, the subsequent assassination of Sadat in 1981, and the revolution that overthrew Mubarak.

A sweeping account of Egypt in the modern era: what Egypt is, what it stands for, and its relation to the world.

To understand the Brotherhood's prospects in Egypt's upcoming elections, one has to understand the organization itself.

Despite its vows to speed Egypt toward elections, the country's military leadership is actually ambivalent about democracy.

Steven A. Cook says that Egypt's seemingly tortured present actually reveals something relatively healthy—the normalization of politics.

The recent mob attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo spotlights the fragility of Israel-Egypt relations, but the Egyptian military will strive to restore the peace between the two nations, says former U.S. ambassador Frank G. Wisner.

Libya, Syria, and Egypt headline the latest "Arab Awakening" developments. This CFR Issue Guide offers expert insight into the causes and consequences of the region's upheaval.

The recent flare up of hostilities along the Israel-Egypt border signals a hardening of Egypt's stance toward Israel and further difficulties for the sluggish Mideast peace process, says expert David Makovsky.

The trial of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has sparked a debate in Egypt about retributive justice versus the rule of law, which will be among the many issues to play out in the fall's parliamentary elections, says CFR's Steven A. Cook.

CFR's Director of Studies James Lindsay and Director of the International Institutions and CFR.org Editor Robert McMahon preview major world events in the week ahead.

In this week's podcast: Iowa Republicans cast their ballots in the Ames Straw poll; Vice President Joe Biden visits Asia; The trial of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak resumes in Cairo; Germany marks the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall.

Steven A. Cook says the Turkish model of military rule is wrong for Egypt.

CFR's Director of Studies James Lindsay and Director of the International Institutions and Global Governance Program Stewart Patrick preview major world events in the week ahead.

In this week's podcast: The United States is expected to run out of money to pay its bills unless an agreement is reached on raising the debt ceiling; Ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak stands trial in Cairo; and senior U.S. and North Korean diplomats hold 'explanatory' talks

The New York Review of Books' Yasmine El Rashidi explores the ascendant role of Islamists in post-revolutionary Egyptian politics and society.