Participer au pouvoir, c'est édicter la norme : sur l'affaire Abu Zayd (Égypte, 1992-1996)

Abstract

The political reality of any society is not written in stable structures but is constantly and un­certainly being constructed. Only objects being made should be used in order to back this sta­tement. The Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd case - that of an Egyptian academic sued for apostasy - is interesting precisely because, although easy to relate to an intemporal element, it can be un­derstood only in strictly contemporary terms. The article suggests that what is at work in this case is the will of a certain number of Egyptian actors on the contemporary public scene to participate in the power structure. This requires these actors to obtain recognition of the incon­testable relevance of a norm that, produced by recycling ancient forms for present ends, is less a source of inspiration than a rhetorical resource for action.