The first elections after the anti-establishment Arab Spring protests resulted in a victory for Islamist political parties in a number of MENA countries. This came as a surprise to the West, which...Show moreThe first elections after the anti-establishment Arab Spring protests resulted in a victory for Islamist political parties in a number of MENA countries. This came as a surprise to the West, which points of view are known to contradict Islam with the democracy and civil liberties that the Arab Spring protests called for. It comes as no surprise then that Islamist political success is often contributed to the inclusion of these parties in a pluralist and democratic playfield. Allegedly, this forces them to bargain and negotiate with other actors, resulting in the disappearance of Islamist ideological elements and making them viable options for the electorate. This prominent way of thinking - which has been called the moderation through inclusion theory - is much critiqued for being too shortsighted in its view of political Islamism. That is why this thesis argues in favor of an alternative approach that shifts the focus from the outcome of a period of political transition and whether or not this is moderate, to one that emphasizes the processes and internal and external factors that shape the ideological transformations of these parties. By looking at the most prominent Islamist parties of three countries (Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt) and tracing their historical developments and contexts based on these internal and external factors, this thesis then offers an alternative explanation to the popularity of political Islamism in the first elections after the Arab Spring uprisings.Show less
In 1952 the royal Mohammed Ali-dynasty of Egypt is swept away by revolution. Since then no restoration movement has emerged. Restoration movements are an understudied phenomenon and no overarching...Show moreIn 1952 the royal Mohammed Ali-dynasty of Egypt is swept away by revolution. Since then no restoration movement has emerged. Restoration movements are an understudied phenomenon and no overarching theoretical framework exists via which their relative strength can be explained. This thesis investigates the reasons behind the lack of an existence of a restoration movement for the Mohammed Ali-dynasty. It does so via a partial application of Grounded theory, which enables the emergence of an explanatory theory via continuous analysis and the use of a wide array of sources. Through a thorough analysis of the existing academic literature concerning the Mohammed Ali-dynasty, Post-revolutionary Egyptian politics an extensive overview is provided of all known restoration sentiments concerning the Mohammed Ali-dynasty. This overview is expanded by analyzing previously unused sources, such as the Dutch national archives, and via an investigation of the political actions of several prominent members of the dynasty. This detailed description of restoration sentiments enables a comparison with the restoration movements for the Bourbons, Senussis and Pahlavis. This comparison finds several crucial factors which are not present in the case of the Mohammed Ali-dynasty and therefore help explain the lack of a restoration movement for this dynasty. In doing this this thesis also provides an initial outline for a broader theoretical framework concerning restoration movements.Show less
