Page 4 - issue9en

.ELITE. 3
Sociologist and Former General Secretary of the Supreme Culture Counicl Prof.Dr. Saeed Elmasry in a special Interview withELITE:

Intelligentsia Became A Barrier Against The People

Access To Culture

State
institutions

are born
from the
culture of
society, and
reforming

them is
never top-
down

(From left) group photo gathers: our editors Essraa Yaccoub (Besides Prof.Elmasry), Ramy Magdy and Nouran Husam

Cairo : Ramy Magdy, Essraa Yaccoub ,Nouran And I attended a lecture by Dr. Mustafa Suef On the importance of sociology and its

Husam , Nermine Tawfik and Yassmine G. Hussein and he was very strict in his interaction with the difference from Art, he says: Sociology
students, so I did not get attracted to the study is one of the most important social

Professor of sociology at the Faculty of Arts of of psychology, and came by room 27 known for
Cairo University and Secretary General of the sciences that benefit societies. Science in
Supreme Council for Culture, Dr. Saeed Al-Masri, sociology, it was a tutorial by the then assistant general is very strict, unlike the arts that
lecturer Abdulla Loloa‟, I had a nice anecdote
said that sociology impacts the pulse, life and are much more flexible. For example,
requirements of the masses and must not be with him when I criticized him in the middle of scientific research has scientific steps
the lecture and I was still a student, but he
secluded from people in any way. Any barriers that which are calculated and studied when it
do exist should be broken, especially the academic understood my position because of my young comes to collecting and analyzing data,
age. He encouraged to criticize and this
ones, in order to be able to reach others in every report writing and following structured
possible manner and view their ideas. encouraged me to be a sociologist. This taught
me to help my students and to be their steps to achieve sound abstracts and
In addition, in his interview with “Elite”, he companion. scientific results. On the other hand, the
added that the political scene is undergoing great As for his relationship with the students, he arts are characterized by a human
transformations for the better and is currently experience driven by a touch or attitude
getting rid of the impurities that prevailed during said: “after gaining my doctorate degree and and momentum in visual visions, the
while teaching at the university, I was labeled
the reign of Hosni Mubarak. To add on, he stated snapshot or the idea that drives artistic
that the slogan "The Police force is in the service of as „the discoverer of students’ abilities‟. I was creativity. In contrast to scientific triumph
to
continuous
also
maintain
keen
the People", which returned after the revolution of that is characterized by deliberation. I love
January, always needs to be renovated and added communication with my students and be careful science the same way I love art and I don't
as not to diminish their hopes and dreams, yet at
to. This is to ensure the continuation of a good care where the search ends, but it must be
relationship between citizens and the security the same time I made sure to give to give them
a clear view of reality. Many young people need in a proper format.
forces which work to preserve the stability of the
State. hope and self-confidence in order to pursue the As for his most important writings, he
correct lifestyle.
He first talked about the reasons for choosing the said: I have a book called "The
field of sociology to study, saying“I have not been more Reproduction of folklore" which I cherish
than a visual artist since my childhood, and I was unable As for the reasons for not participating in paintings in dearly. It took me years to write, which I
to pass the aptitude test which was required for me to join art exhibitions, he explained: My life turned towards did while living for months in the area of
the College of Fine Arts after high school. This failure the practice of academic work, which is very strict
destroyed my hope for joining the college of my dreams, and did not leave me the opportunity to practice this Bulaq Abu El Ola, until became a part of
I gave up hope and wrote down a random selection of hobby,.I have not yet been able to decide whether or the lives of the people which lived in the
colleges to apply to. I acquiesced to my father's advice not art has influenced my love for sociology. While I region.The writing was different then because
that it is the will of God, and I had no other option but to was in the Supreme Council of Culture, Some it is a product of cohabitation. It is important
accept it. After I joined the Faculty of Arts, I was members of the Fine Arts Committee thought that I for the researcher to taste art, because it
confused by many people's advice to study English, was a specialist in sociology and I was not concerned nourishes the mind and abilities and develops
philosophy, psychology, geography, etc I was attending knowledge and opens up the perception of
lectures in several departments so that I could choose the with fine art and what they knew about my art works, sensory and mental, it encourages social
appropriate section .I remember that my first lecture was they was surprised by some of my paintings and sensitivity or sociological imagination for a
to Dr. Amira Hilmi Matar, but I was not impressed by her enjoyed them. better the understanding of social behavior,
style.

.ELITE. ISSUE 9, JULY 2019 3