The First Feminist and Independent Publishing Conference 2026 opened with a panel discussion on the history of independent publishing and its relationship to memory and archiving, featuring Dr. Emad Abu Ghazi, former Minister of Culture, and moderated by journalist Sayed Mahmoud.
The session shed light on the evolution of the publishing industry in Egypt, from the early days of printing to the dominance of state institutions, while pointing to the limited yet influential presence of private and independent publishing.
Abu Ghazi referred to early models of cooperative publishing, noting that “one of the most notable examples dates back to the early twentieth century, particularly the idea of publishing cooperatives.”
He also explained that independent publishing began to take clearer shape in the 1960s, before expanding in the 1970s and 1980s through collective efforts by writers, especially via independent magazines and small-scale publications.
The session also addressed the distinction between independent publishing as a collective, alternative practice and self-publishing as an individual effort outside traditional frameworks, emphasizing the role of independent publishing in creating spaces for expression and bringing marginalized issues—particularly women’s voices—into wider public discussion.
