Calm and composed, 26-year-old Shahīr Ishaq was a university student only a few short years ago. Now, he is campaigning for a seat in the first parliament of Egypt’s post-Husnī Mubārak era. Ishaq is one of a handful of youth activists, who were instrumental in the protest movement that ousted the former dictator in February who decided to throw his hat in the race.

Unlike most candidates on the ballot, however, Ishaq is a Coptic Christian. But as sectarian tensions have erupted in the weeks leading up to November 28 parliamentary elections, the young political economist is ignoring religion, both as part of his personal identify and as a campaign issue.

He shares the liberal philosophy of the Egypt Freedom Party, which was founded last May by a group of activists from the revolution and to which he belongs.

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