The events that shook Egypt early in 2011, since named the “ Egyptian Revolution ” , raise many questions. One of these interrogations is to understand how a population largely considered as apathetic and depoliticized, participated massively in street demonstrations. It is possible to safely consider that there is nothing particularly “ revolu- tionary ” in seeing experienced activists mobilize for the hundredth time. Nevertheless, revealing the mechanisms behind what pushed tens of thou- sands of Egyptians that had never participated in politics before to take the streets is paramount.
This article tackles this issue by studying a loca- lized mobilization of young Caireners during the “ January uprising ”