In the first episode of the 4th season of the CMR Podcast, Sara Allam Shaltout, a PhD candidate at the School of International Relations, delves into the complexities of church-state relations in Egypt and their influence on the everyday lives of Christian minorities, particularly Coptic Christians. Joined by Dr. Fouad Halboni, Lecturer of Political Anthropology at the American University in Cairo, the discussion traces the origins of these relations to the Millet system from the Ottoman Empire—a framework for managing religious affairs for non-Muslim subjects under Islamic rule. This episode sheds light on the continued relevance of this system in understanding contemporary church-state dynamics and their impact on Christian communities in Egypt.
About the Host
Sara Allam Shaltout is a PhD candidate at the School of International Relations, University of St Andrews. Her research focuses on Christian-Muslim relations and church-state relations in the Middle East. She holds a Master’s degree in Middle East Studies from the American University in Cairo and a Master’s in Religious Studies and Theology from the University of Edinburgh.