Ahmed Abu Zaid (Egyptian Author)

Dr. Ahmed Abu Zaid

Dr. Ahmed Abu Zaid is recognized as one of the prominent Arab pioneers in the field of anthropology, having been awarded the prestigious “Nile Prize for Social Sciences” in 2011, valued at 400,000 Egyptian pounds. His nomination for this award came from Mansoura University. He previously served as an expert at the International Labour Organization (ILO) of the United Nations and as a visiting professor at several Arab and international universities. Additionally, he held the position of an advisor for the Kuwaiti magazine “Alam Al-Fikr” and was the rapporteur for the Social Studies Committee at the Supreme Council of Culture in Egypt. Dr. Abu Zaid received his education at Alexandria University, graduating with a degree in sociology, and later earned his doctorate in social sciences and anthropology from the University of Oxford.

Early Life and Education

Dr. Ahmed Abu Zaid was born on May 3, 1923, in the Qabari neighborhood of Alexandria. He came from a prosperous family, with his father being a prominent coal merchant of Moroccan and Upper Egyptian descent, while his mother had Turkish roots and had an appreciation for literary arts, music, and culture. This unique blend of commercial acumen from his father and artistic sensitivity from his mother provided Dr. Abu Zaid with a culturally rich upbringing. He initially received education at home before moving on to formal schooling, attending the “Ras Elteen” primary school and completing his secondary education before enrolling at Alexandria University, where he graduated in 1944. During his time at university, he was influenced by esteemed professors such as Yusuf Karam, Abu Al-Ala Afifi, and Mustafa Ziyour, and the British scholar Alfred Radcliffe-Brown, who taught at Alexandria University for two years after retiring from Oxford. Additionally, his upbringing in Alexandria and his parent’s influence contributed to his psychological development.

Career and Contributions

Dr. Ahmed Abu Zaid has held numerous positions and accomplished various significant tasks, including:

• Served as a teacher, later becoming an assistant professor, and eventually a professor of anthropology at Alexandria University.
• Held the position of Deputy Dean for Graduate Studies at the Faculty of Arts, Alexandria University, from 1974 to 1976.
• Served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Alexandria University, from 1976 to 1979.
• Achieved the status of Professor Emeritus in 1981.
• Worked as a sociology lecturer on loan at the Libyan University in Benghazi in 1958.
• Functioned as an expert with the International Labour Organization in Geneva on loan from 1960 to 1963.
• Established the journal “Studies in Social Sciences” at the UNESCO office in Cairo in 1960.
• Taught anthropology at the University of Kuwait from 1966 to 1970 and contributed to fostering social sciences there.
• Founded the anthropology department at Alexandria University in 1974.
• Represented Alexandria University in the African University Federation Council for three years during the 1970s.
• Served as Deputy Chair of the National Commission for UNESCO in Cairo.

International Agreements and Conferences

Dr. Abu Zaid organized several international agreements, including:

• A cultural cooperation agreement between the Faculty of Arts at Alexandria University and the University of Utah (Middle East Studies Center) in 1976 for faculty exchanges in anthropology and civilization.
• Numerous cultural agreements with various American universities to facilitate sending American students specializing in Middle Eastern studies to attend lectures on Egyptian civilization and Islamic culture.
• Agreements with the Polytechnic Institute in London to attract students studying courses on Egypt, Arab Islamic culture, and Arabic literature, along with learning the Arabic language.
• Attended over forty conferences, including two held in Cuba focusing on the development of third-world countries and culture and development in 1999 and 2001.
• Participated in the international seminar titled “Culture and Agriculture,” organized by the Egyptian National Commission for UNESCO in Cairo in 1995.
• Contributed to various anthropological and cultural conferences held in Egypt by academic and cultural institutions.
• Engaged in a seminar discussing UNESCO’s Global Culture Report 2000 in The Hague on February 13, 2001.

Awards and Recognitions

• Awarded the State Encouragement Prize for Social Sciences and the Science and Arts Medal in 1968.
• Received the Taha Husayn Award (jointly) in 2004 from Alexandria University for his contributions to the field of human studies.
• Honored with the Alexandria Prize for Scientific Appreciation in 1990.
• Granted the State Appreciation Prize for Social Sciences in 1992.

Publications by Ahmed Abu Zaid

Dr. Ahmed Abu Zaid authored numerous works, including:

• “Taylor, A Collection of Western Thought,” Dar Al-Ma’arif, Cairo, 1958.
• “Revenge: An Anthropological Study in an Upper Egyptian Village,” National Center for Social and Criminal Research, Dar Al-Ma’arif, Cairo, 1962.
• “Social Structure: An Introduction to the Study of Society,” Egyptian General Book Organization.
• “Introduction to Structuralism,” National Center for Social and Criminal Research, Cairo, 1995.