Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

1
A Theoretical Framework

Power Relations between Egypt and the United States as Demonstrated in the Opening
Plenary Speeches of the Egyptian President and the American Secretary of State during
Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC) Held in 2015
A Contrastive Analysis within the Critical Discourse Analysis Framework

Lobna Khaled Mohamed

Term Paper Submitted for the Applied Linguistics Course
Dr. Ghada Abd Al Aziz
Faculty of Al-Alsun
Ain Shams University
April 2015

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Outline
I.

Introduction
A. Topic
a. Overall view of research papers topic
b. Overall view of political situations of USA and Egypt
B. Objectives
a. Using Critical Discourse Analysis as a framework to highlight Power relations and dominance between two
countries:
1. Egypt
2. USA
b. Deciding on Functional Grammar as a tool to analyze two speeches and demonstrate power relations and
dominance as two main concepts.
c. Analyzing two speeches delivered at the economic conference in Egypt.
C. Data
a. Classification of data
b. Source of data
1. Remarks at the Opening Plenary of the Egypt Economic Development Conference addressed by Abd Al
Fattah Al Sisi, Egyptian President.
2. Remarks at the Opening Plenary of the Egypt Economic Development Conference addressed by John
Kerry, American Secretary of State.
c. Significance of the data

II.

Methodology
A. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)
a. General Overview
b. Focus of this research : Power and Dominance
B. Structural Functional Grammar (SFG)
a. General Overview
b. Main focus of functional grammar applied on the data of this research paper

III.

Application
A. Findings
B. Results
C. Conclusion

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A Theoretical Framework

Topic

One important field of critical research on discourse, language, and power is that of political discourse.
Therefore, this is a contrastive linguistic study exploring and analyzing two speeches delivered by two political
figures, the Egyptian President Abd Al Fattah Al Sisi and the American Secretary of State John Kerry, to see
how both speeches revealed the concept of Power.
The United States strategy in the Middle East is mainly rooted in the hegemonic interests in stable and secure
oil market, in addition to the ideological commitment towards the state of Israel. Therefore, USA has been
interfering in the Middle Easts affair since the early part of the Cold War to prevent anyone regional or extraregional from gaining regional hegemony by maintaining defensive force over the horizon, as Dr.Nicholas
Spark has stated. Despite of the confusion and cautious approach the USA is adopting since the rise of the Arab
Spring events, yet the USA, represented in the Obama administration, insist on ensuring its dominance and
power in the region, and insists that the new regimes in the region will have to proceed its work with the
United States.
On the other hand, Egypt as one of the leading countries in the Middle East region has passed through many
events since the 25th of January revolution. From Mubaraks stepping down, to the Supreme Council of Armed
Forces receive of Power, the change of prime ministers, the constitutional referendum, the presidential
elections, Muslim Brotherhoods winning elections, Parliament election, and last the 30th of June revolution;
Egypt is now trying to re-gain balance and power. Hence, came the Egypt Economic Development Conference
(EEDC) as a determined attempt on Egypts side to re-gain its power on the local, regional, and international
levels.

Objectives
This study aims at highlighting the ideologies of power and dominance of the Egyptian and American policies
as demonstrated in two of the remarks at the plenary of Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC),
given by Al Sisi and Kerry. The speech given by Al Sisi showed that Egypt is defying USAs power and shows
the countrys endeavors to re-gain power. Whereas, the speech given by Kerry was to assure that USA is
maintaining its power and dominance over developing countries. This study uses the Transitivity theory that
comes under the experiential approach of Functional Grammar. From the experiential perspective, language
includes a set of resources that refer to entities in the world and the ways these entities relate to each other and
act. Hence, language reflect our view of the world as consisting of goings-on (Verbs), involving things
(nouns), which may have attributes (adjectives), and which go on against background details of place, time,
manner, etc. (adverbials). So with Functional labels, a clause is analyzed in terms of processes that involve
participants in certain circumstances. (Thompson, 1996). According to Thompson (1996) once more, the term
transitivity does not only distinguish between verbs according to their accompaniment with objects or not, but
it is a way for describing the whole clause. It focuses mainly on the verbal group that is the center of the
clause. It refers to verbs as Processes that can be divided into three main types (Material, Mental, and
Relational) and three subtypes (Verbal, Behavioral, and Existential) each with a different core meaning and
different participants labels.

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Data

The data under investigation is two speeches: one delivered by Abd Al Fattah Al Sisi, the Egyptian president,
and the other one delivered by the American Secretary of State, John Kerry. Both speeches were remarks at the
opening plenary of the Egypt Economic Development Conference, held at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, on
March 13, 2015. Al Sisis speech was the first speech to be delivered at the conference and was delivered in
Arabic language. The number of words of this speech is 2058 words. Whereas, Kerrys speech came after a
number of other speeches; and his was delivered in English Language. The number of words of this speech is
1341 words.
One significant reason to choose these two speeches in particular, is Egypts leading role in the region and
considering this economic event as a starting point of the New Egypt after the many occurrences that took
place following both the 25th of January and 30th of Junes revolutions.

Critical Discourse Analysis

According to van Dijk, Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is a type of discourse research that mainly examines
the way dominance, inequality and social power abuse are playing roles, reproduced and resisted by text and
talk in both social and political contexts. Critical analysis of conversation is very different from the analysis of
news reports in the press. Most kinds of CDA questions the way certain discourse structure are used in the
reproduction of social and political dominance. van Dijk proceeds that one main question of why critical
discourse analysis is important is to know power differences. (van Dijk, 2001)
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), according to Fairclough, has three main properties. First, it is Relational as
it mainly focuses on social relation not entities or individuals. Second, it is Dialectical. Fairclough describes
dialectical relations as those relations between objects that are different from one another, but not disconnected
like Power and Discourse. He then adds that CDA is not analysis of discourse in itself, but is analysis of
dialectical relations between discourse and other elements as well as analysis of the internal relations of
discourse. In order to analyze such relations, CDA needs to cut across conventional boundaries between
disciplines like Linguistics, Politics, Sociology, and so forth. Hence, Fairclough prefers to call this form of
analysis a Transdisciplinary one.
Wodak and Meyer (2009), state that studies in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) are multifarious derived
from different theoretical orientations and utilizing different data and methodologies. In addition, CDA
researchers depend on various grammatical approaches. Hence, the definitions of the terms Discourse,
Critical, Ideology, and Power and so on are manifold.
One central concept in CDA is that of Power. According to Wodak and Meyer Power is central for
understanding the dynamics and specifics of control (of action) in modern societies. The concepts of Power
and Dominance utilized in this paper are mainly not of social relationships, but the power and dominance of a
nations and countries; particularly those of developing countries, like Egypt and developed countries, like the
United States.

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Functional Grammar

According to Thompson (1996), Functional Grammar aims to examine what the range of relevant choices are
on the levels of meanings that we intend to deliver (functions we want to perform) and wordings we can utilize
to express these meanings; in addition to matching these two sets of choices. Therefore, in order to recognize
meaning choices, we look at the context and linguistic options (lexical and structural possibilities) in addition
to exploring what meaning each option expresses. Thompson then assures that through functional analysis we
intend to discover the reasons behind the speakers production of a particular wording rather than any other in
a certain context. One of the main implications of this functional view of language is that context and language
are mutually dependent. At a broader level, our own experiences in the world directly affect the subjects we
talk about and how we talk about them.
Therefore, the approach adopted in this study is the same as that of Thompsons. This is a grammatical based
text analysis of the above-mentioned speeches. We will be examining why each of the speakers is expressing
this particular meaning in this particular way at this particular point.

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A Theoretical Framework

Findings

Egyptian Presidents Remarks at the Opening Plenary of the Egypt Economic Development
Conference:
Material Processes

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A Theoretical Framework

Actor

Material Process

( )

Material Process

Actor

( )

Goal

Material Process

Actor

( )

Material Process

Actor

( )

Goal

Material Process

Actor

( )

Material Process

Actor

Goal

Material Process

Goal

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Mental Processes

( )
Senser

Mental Processes

( )

Senser

Mental Processes

( )

Senser

Mental Processes

Phenomenon

( )

Senser

Mental Processes

Behavioral Processes
( )

Behaver

Behavioral
process

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Behaver

Behavioral
process

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

The American Secretary of States Speech:

Material Processes

The American
Are committed to The security and political and economic
Power
Relations
between Egypt and
the USA
people
wellbeing
of the Egyptian people
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A Theoretical Framework

Actor

Material Process

We (Americans)

Will work

Actor

Material Process

How

It (Egypt)

With you (Egyptians)

Restructures

Actor

It (Egypt)
Actor

We (Americans)
Actor

Material Process

Will also affect

Millions of others

Material Process

Goal

Are already making

progress

Material Process

Goal

Our qualifying zone program

Actor

Its economy

1. Has already spurred

Material Process

Goal

More than 800

million
Goal

In Egypt exports to
USA

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Mental Processes
We all

Know

Senser

Mental process

Through those challenges

That there are challenges

We

Understand

The extra-ordinary potential

Senser

Mental process

Phenomenon

Al Sisi

Understands

that

Senser

Mental process

Phenomenon

Egypt

Needs

To grow

Senser

Mental process

The USA

is

Very eager

Senser

Mental process

Phenomenon

To build on this progress

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

I (Kerry)

Know

Senser

Mental process

That it will be followed by

Verbal Processes
Al Sisi

Talks

About the open, inclusive, and transparent growth

Sayer

Verbal process

Al Sisi

Has already demonstrated

Sayer

Verbal process

Al Sisi

announced

Sayer

Verbal process

Promise

Sayer

Verbal process

that

Anti-corruption initiative

You (Egyptians)

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Relational Processes
Egypt

is

a critical part

of the Arab world

Identifier

Relational
process

Identified

circumstance

We

have

a stake

in Egypts success

Possessor

Relational process

Possessed

circumstance

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A Theoretical Framework

Results

In his speech, Al Sisi uses three categories of processes: material, mental, and behavioral processes.
During the speech, Al Sisi stressed that there are six main goals the actors Egypt, its people, government, and
economy seek, which are
. " " " " " " ""
Egypt is presented as an actor four times, Egypt the modern state an actor three times,
Egypts people , the government , and Egyptian economy each was
presented as an actor once.
Second, Al Sisi spoke about Egypt as a modern state accompanied with positive mental
processes three times:
" " " " ""
In addition to the mental process rejecting the phenomenon of . Last, Egypt was
presented as a behaver welcoming , and .
On the other hand, in his speech, Kerry uses four types of processes: material, mental, relational, and
verbal. First, Kerry presents Americans and their qualifying zone program as actors four times whom their
goals were: the security and political and economic wellbeing of the Egyptian people, 800 million dollars in
Egyptian exports and 280000 Egyptian jobs. Moreover, Egypt was presented as an actor twice with the
processes: restructures and will affect; and the goals economy and millions of others. Also, Al Sisi
was represented as an actor twice as taking important steps and signed a new investment law.
Second, four mental processes were used in Kerrys speech: know was mentioned twice,
understands was mentioned once, and is eager to build on that progress. Kerry also stressed that Egypt
needs to grow four times, and mentioned that Al Sisi understands that.
Third, Kerry identified Egypt as as critical part of the Arab world, and stressed that Americans we
are possessors have a stake in Egypts success.
Last, Al Sisi was represented as a sayer three times in Kerrys speech: talks, demonstrated, and
announced ; and Kerry himself a sayer once: I promise you.

Conclusion
In conclusion, in both speeches the USA and Americans are not presented as taking action except for five
times; while Egypt, its people, government and economy were represented as actors twelve times. Egypt is
represented as a country that was always powerful historically
"" " "
The pivotal role Egypt has played in this region for so long
The Arab world cant do with Egypt

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

and that is currently seeking to continue as powerful, effective, and of values through its people and
government:
.. .. .. .. .. .."
" ..
Egyptian citizens are positively presented:
" " " " "
"
And that is so clear when Al Sisi proudly announces:
""
And when Kerry praised the effort of the Egyptian people:
What Egyptians struggled to achieve in 2011 was the real birth of opportunity and not an illusion

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

References

1. Al-Sisi, A. (2015, March 13). /

. Retrieved April 9, 2015, from
http://www.sis.gov.eg/Ar/Templates/Articles/tmpArticleNews.aspx?ArtID=103207#.VSbfDuF8ual
2. Fairclough, N. (1995). General introduction. In Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of
language. London: Longman.
3. Kerry, J. (2015, March 13). Remarks at the Opening Plenary of the Egypt Economic Development
Conference. Retrieved April 9, 2015, from http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/03/238872.htm
4. Kitchen, N. (n.d.). The Contradictions of Hegemony: The United States and the Arab Spring.
5. Thompson, G. (1996). The purpose of linguistic analysis. In Introducing functional grammar. London:
Arnold
6. Van Dijk, T. (2001). 18 Critical Discourse Analysis - Teun A. van Dijk. Retrieved April 9, 2015, from
http://www.discourses.org/OldArticles/Critical discourse analysis.pdf
7. Wodak, R. (2009). Methods of critical discourse analysis (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE.

Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Appendix I

Egyptian Presidents Remarks at the Opening Plenary of the Egypt Economic Development
Conference:

13 2015

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Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

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Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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Power Relations between Egypt and the USA

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A Theoretical Framework

Appendix II

The American Secretary of States Speech:

Remarks at the Opening Plenary of the Egypt Economic Development Conference
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
March 13, 2015
Mr. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, its a privilege to be here with you today, and your majesties, your
highnesses, your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
Mr. President, in so many ways, it is clear that your initiatives are already affirming the pivotal role Egypt has
played in this region for so long. Weve heard a number of the speakers refer to it. And I want to thank you for
your partnership and for your obvious readiness to tackle some very tough issues. There are an extraordinary
number of very thoughtful, very experienced leaders, particularly of the corporate sector but also of
government here, and they come from all over the world. Im particularly pleased that some of the biggest
companies in America are also here and that all of you together represent billions of dollars of investment.
So I come here today, Mr. President, with a very simple message: The American people are committed to the
security and political and economic wellbeing of the Egyptian people, and we will work with you; we will work
with you to absolutely secure the ambitious and important goals, the vision that you have laid out here today.
There is absolutely no question that the emergence of a strong, prosperous, democratic Egypt is critical for the
development of a strong and prosperous region. And Egypt, as a number of speakers have also alluded to, has
historically been the regions most important incubator of ideas. And this does go back to the earliest days of
civilization. Egypt constitutes one-quarter of the Arab worlds population. But we also heard one of our
distinguished friends from the Emirates, I think, say that Egypt also is a critical part of the Arab world and the
Arab world cant do without Egypt; its symbiotic. How Egypt fares in the coming years and how it
restructures its economy will affect not only the countrys nearly 90 million citizens, but it will also affect
millions of others throughout the region who aspire to a better future. That is why we are gathered here: We
all all of us have a stake in Egypts success, and all of the Middle East needs to see that what Egyptians
struggled to achieve in 2011 was the real birth of opportunity and not an illusion.
That is why the United States is committed to supporting Egypts economic reforms, and I think that we can
already see from what is happening that those are taking hold. Im pleased to tell you also that before this
conference was conceived, we in the United States shared the sense of the need for this economic
transformation. And so last year, under the auspices of the United States Chamber of Commerce, 160 CEOs,
leading business people representing some 70 countries 70 companies came here to spend time with
President al-Sisi and his administration in order to help define the future. We are already making progress
laying down specific projects that will support economic growth, entrepreneurship, and job creation, especially
for the agribusiness and tourism sectors. Weve committed some 300 million for the Egyptian-American
Enterprise Fund and another 250 million for OPIC loans to guarantee to support the development of small

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A Theoretical Framework

and medium-sized businesses. And just our Qualifying Industrial Zone program has already spurred more
than 800 million in Egyptian exports to the United States last year and supported 280,000 Egyptian jobs.
Thats in addition to a billion dollars of loan guarantee, 500 million dollars of recent investment by The CocaCola Company, General Electric, others who are deeply committed to this enterprise.
We all know also that there are challenges. And yet every single one of us are here because through those
challenges we see and understand the extraordinary potential. There is a possibility of innovation, a
possibility of attracting investment, a possibility of working together on an agenda of opportunity that literally
creates the sustainable economy that President al-Sisi talks about, the open, inclusive, and transparent growth
that is critical to attract capital.
So there are about four things that are critical to that, very quickly. First, Egypt needs to grow sustainably.
And President al-Sisi understands that and hes already taken important steps on macroeconomic reform. The
United States is very eager to build on this progress by supporting the governments engagement with
international financial institutions, including the IMF; efforts to improve cash management, lower debt,
deficits, increase tax revenue, and reduce costly subsidies in a way that protects the poorest citizens. And as
we all know, sustaining and strengthening these reforms will require courage and political will, and it is
evident that President al-Sisi has already demonstrated that and is prepared to make those choices.
Secondly, Egypt needs to grow openly and accountably. President al-Sisi, again, deserves enormous credit for
working to improve the basic business climate in Egypt. He just signed a new investment law, and that will
create a one-stop shop for business which eliminates the bureaucracy, reduces the paperwork, streamlines the
decision making, and allows capital to take hold and begin to work quickly. This is a very important step, and
I know that it will be followed by the additional work to provide sanctity of contracts, mechanisms for dispute
resolution, and protections for intellectual property rights.
Third, Egypt obviously needs to grow inclusively, and President al-Sisi is committed to that. A central demand
of the revolution of 2011 was a more equal distribution of wealth. And that requires a commitment to
empowering young people to fulfill their dreams, to meet their aspirations, and women also in order to
promote a free and active and independent civil society.
And finally, Egypt needs to grow transparently. We all know that foreign investors require assurance of
accountability, certainty, assurance that reforms are both comprehensive and long-term. And immediately
after taking office, President Sisi announced anti-corruption initiatives, and we strongly support his
government in that effort. No one is injured more than companies and by the way, no one country is immune
to any country immune to any of these challenges. But no one is more injured because of them than the very
companies that were trying to attract in order to develop in the ways that we want to.
Ultimately, economic growth and political development go hand in hand, and that is how you build the strong
society. Economic growth, widely shared, can help to ease any disagreements that characterize the openness
of governance. And at the same time, the protection of individual rights and impartial administration of justice
helps create the conditions for lasting investment and growth that benefits all Egyptians.
So, yes, there are challenges, and many of them have been alluded to by other speakers here. But the road
ahead is absolutely clear and so is the United States determination to support Egypts progress in any way that
we can. Let me make one statement about that. And that includes, in the effort to stand up and fight against

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A Theoretical Framework

extremists and terrorists, the one thing we know is here at this conference we stand in direct contradiction to
the nihilism that they present. They want to destroy and go back in time. We want to build and go to the
future, and thats what this conference is about. And no political philosophy, no ideology, no politics, and
certainly no religion can excuse the grotesque, unbelievable descent into chaos that those extremists are
willing to provoke. Nothing excuses the killing of innocent women, children, villagers, people anywhere
nothing.
So thats what makes this frankly, this conference so important, because this is one of the most important
tools in our toolbox to be able to embrace that future. Out of this conference must come a renewed
commitment to fully empower Egypts entrepreneurs and innovators as well as provide for greater economic
opportunity not just for some Egyptians, but for all Egyptians. And I promise you, directly from President
Obama and from this Administration, the full commitment of the United States in this journey towards security,
shared prosperity, and peace that the Egyptian people both desire and deserve. Thank you.