1st Edition

The Dynamics of Opposition Cooperation in the Arab World Contentious Politics in Times of Change

Edited By Hendrik Jan Kraetzschmar Copyright 2013
    224 Pages
    by Routledge

    224 Pages
    by Routledge

    Within the democratisation literature, opposition unity is widely seen as an important requisite to successfully pressure authoritarian rulers into liberalising reforms and in bringing about democratic change. Taking up on this theme, this book examines the myriad ways in which opposition groups across the Arab world have sought to coalesce into broader reform coalitions at the local, national and transnational levels to challenge authoritarian incumbents and their policies. Drawing on original case studies from the region, it sheds light on the diverse nature and objectives of these reform coalitions, and explores the challenges opposition groups face in Arab states in uniting behind a common reform agenda and in driving this agenda forward. Be they electoral pacts, local government coalitions, broader opposition alliances or networks of resistance, this book demonstrates that, although widespread, the record of collective opposition activism in the Arab world is mixed, with many reform coalitions lacking the necessary cohesion and mass appeal to effectively mobilise for change.

    This book was originally published as a special issue of British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies

    1. Introduction: The Dynamics of Reform Coalitions in the Arab World Hendrik Jan Kraetzschmar, University of Leeds

    2. Political Opposition and Reform Coalitions in Jordan Curtis R. Ryan, Appalachian State University in North Carolina

    3. The Prospects of Islamist-Secular Opposition Alliances in Syria Thomas Pierret, University of Edinburgh
     
    4. The Joint Meetings Party and the Politics of Opposition in Yemen Vincent Durac, University College Dublin, Ireland

    5. Bahrain’s Legal Opposition under King Hamad: Between Necessary Cooperation and Insurmountable Divisions? Marc Valeri, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies –University of Exeter

    6. Left - Islamist Opposition Cooperation in Morocco Eva Wegner, University of Cape Town & Miquel Pellicer, University of Cape Town

    7. ‘Will the real Tunisian opposition please stand up?!’ Francesco Cavatorta, Dublin City University & Rikke Hostrup Haugbolle, University of Southern Denmark

    8. Coalitions for Dispossession and Networks of Resistance?  Land, Politics and Agrarian Reform in Egypt Ray Bush, University of Leeds, UK

    9. The Transnational and the Local: Egyptian Activists and Transnational Protest Networks Maha Abdel-Rahman, University of Cambridge

    10. Conclusion Ellen Lust, Yale University

    Biography

    Dr. Hendrik Jan Kraetzschmar is Lecturer in Middle East politics at the University of Leeds. His current research focuses on the nature of electoral and party politics in the Middle East and North Africa.