Dr Youssri Abdelwahed

IAS Fellow at St Mary's College, October-December 2023

Contact Details

• Home Institution email: Youssri.abdelwahed@mu.edu.eg
• Durham email: youssri.e.abdelwahed@durham.ac.uk
• Durham Tel: +44 (0)191 3344688

Dr Youssri Abdelwahed is Assistant Professor of Classical Egyptian Culture and Archaeology in the Tour Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, at Minia University. His main research interests are the material and visual culture of Greco-Roman Egypt and their relation to the issues of ethnic and cultural identities. He is also interested in domestic architecture and ritual practices in Greco-Roman Egypt. In the light of textual evidence, particularly Greek papyri, and other forms of material culture, his recent work has focused on the dynamic nature of ritual practices in Greco-Roman Egypt, with special focus on religious festivals and domestic rituals. His major publications include Egyptian Cultural Identity in the Architecture of Roman Egypt (30 BC-AD 325) (Oxford, 2015) and Houses in Graeco-Roman Egypt: Arenas for Ritual Activities (Oxford, 2016). Between May 2019 and July 2021, he served as the Vice-dean for Education and Student Affairs at Minia University. From July 2018 to September 2021, he also acted as the Director Deputy of the University Centre for Career Development (UCCD), Minia University. Dr Abdelwahed has received fellowships from The Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, through which he earned his PhD from Durham University and completed his book on Houses in Graeco-Roman Egypt: Arenas for Ritual Activities at Reading University respectively.  

As an IAS fellow, Dr Abdelwahed will work on his book “Domestic Violence in Greco-Roman Egypt”, which aims to identify and locate various forms (physical, verbal, and emotional) and causes of domestic violence in Greco-Roman Egypt. This contribution will reconsider the safeness of the Greco-Romano-Egyptian house. Domestic violence, in accordance with modern thinking about domestic violence and the types of 'offence' permitted, can be viewed as a manifestation of social interaction between house residents and their partners or other inhabitants. The project will focus on the forms, causes, and locations of domestic violence; the victims and the perpetrators of domestic violence; and violence in non-domestic contexts. 

At Durham, Dr Abdelwahed will be in close collaboration with Dr Edmund Thomas (Associate Professor in Classics), Professor Christina Riggs (Director of CVAC), and Dr Penny Wilson (Associate Professor in Archaeology). The collaboration is based on their mutual research interest in material and visual culture of Greco-Roman Egypt. 

Events

IAS Seminar - 30 October 2023 - 1.00 - 2.00pm. IAS Seminar Room, Cosin's Hall, Institute of Advanced Study 
''Do not offend any of the persons at home!'': forms of domestic violence in Greco-Roman Egypt
Registration is essential. Details here. 

IAS public lecture - 14 November 2023 - 5.30 - 6.30pm, Kenworthy Hall, St. Mary's College, Durham University
Unearthing the Dark Side of the House: Investigating Domestic Violence in Greco-Roman Egypt
Further information here.