Archive for February, 2010

Challenges to Democracy in the Arab and Muslim World

President Bush’s notions that democratizing Iraq will have a ripple effect on the rest ofthe Arab world, bringing prosperity and peace to the region, and that democracy is the panaceafor Islamic terrorism are unsubstantiated as well as grossly misleading.

Egyptian Parliamentary Elections: Between Democratisation and Autocracy

The dissolution of the 1987 and 1990 parliaments, following two Supreme Courtrulings that the 1984 and 1987 general elections were unconstitutional, and the transfer of the power to supervise elections from the police to the judiciarysignalled an impending political opening

The W&M Progressive

The development of democratic institutions comes with negative externalities. As a political progressive,
I believe that the big picture – establishing a solid democratic foundation – outweighs the possible emergence of political parties that may advocate religious or gender intolerance.

Egypt’s Local Elections Farce Causes and Consequences

Egypt’s local elections of April 8, 2008 were a confirmation of a backwardslide in Egyptian politics. They were plagued by social unrest and politicaldiscord. In the weeks prior to the elections, labor protests escalated,precipitating a harsh crackdown that resulted in at least two fatalities and many injuries.

Egypt in Prophecy

The Muslim Brotherhood, though officially banned, is now Egypt’s largest and most influential opposition party. This signals a stunning shift within one of America’s few remaining Middle Eastern allies.

Egypt: 2005 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections

In recent years, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his ruling NationalDemocratic Party (NDP) have faced growing criticism, both domestically andinternationally, regarding limited progress on political liberalization.

Civil society and Democratization in the Arab World

Different researches about Civil society and Democratization in the Arab World

COMPARING THREE MUSLIM BROTHERHOODS: SYRIA, JORDAN, EGYPT

The banner of the Islamist revolution in the Middle East today has largely passed to groups sponsored by or derived from the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Politics and the Promise of Civilizational Dialogues

In response to Harvard Professor SamuelHuntington’s now infamous argument predicting afuture full of clashes between civilizations, the world’sliberals responded with a call for a civilizational dialogue.

The Future of the Muslim Brotherhood

The Muslim Brotherhood managed to maintain its organizational existence since its establishment in 1928, by the late Hasan Al-Banna.

Current Trends in the Ideology of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood

The American-led Middle East reform and democratization campaign of the last twoyears has helped shape a new political reality in Egypt.

Muslim Americans Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream

Muslims constitute a growing and increasingly important segment of American society.Yet there is surprisingly little quantitative research about the attitudes and opinions of thissegment of the public for two reasons

The Ikhwan in North America: A Short History

The current federal court case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) in Dallas, Texas,1 offers an unprecedented inside look into the history of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States, as well as its goals and structure.

Will Politics Tame Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood?

CAIRO, Dec. 7 – When stumping through the port city of Alexandria, whose crumbling mansions and rickety tram lines evoke long-faded glory, Sobhe Saleh of the Muslim Brotherhood vowed he had a different vision for Egypt’s future.

“If Islam were applied, no one would be hungry,” he roared recently to a crowd of fully veiled women ululating with joy. “Islam is a religion of construction. Islam is a religion of investment. Islam is a religion of development.”

GOVERNANCE PROFILE OF EGYPT

Major political developments since 1990Egypt is constitutionally a democratic republic based on a multiparty system. Th e 1971 Constitutionprovides for the separation of powers between the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.

Engaging Islamists and Promoting Democracy

Deeming democratic change to be a long-term antidote to Islamist extremism, the Bush administration coupled its military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq with intensified efforts to promote democracy in the Arab world, underscoring the need for free and fair elections.