Elections and Democratization in the Middle East The Tenacious Search for Freedom, Justice, and Dignity

by Hamad, Mahmoud; al-Anani, Khalil

• ISBN13: 9781137299246
• ISBN10: 113729924X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2014-02-20
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

For decades, elections in many parts of the Middle East were a forgone conclusion. They came and went with little fanfare as many knew that results were predetermined in the offices and corners of state security buildings in Cairo, Damascus, Tehran, and Tunisia. No wonder that most citizens did not care to participate or take part in such theatrical displays. The Arab uprisings that toppled entrenched autocrats have changed this. Voters flocked to the polls to cast their votes and choose their rulers. This book explores the dynamics of elections in the Middle East and their impact on democratization processes. It combines overview chapters with individual studies of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey.

Author Biography

Mahmoud Hamad holds a joint appointment at Cairo University, Egypt, and Drake University, USA, as Assistant Professor of Politics. Twice a Fulbright scholar, he is an expert on Middle East politics, democratization, and comparative judicial politics.

Khalil al-Anani is a leading academic expert on Islamist movements, Egyptian politics, and democratization in the Middle East. A Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC, he is the author of many books in Arabic and English, including Unpacking the Muslim Brotherhood: Religion, Identity, and Politics (forthcoming), The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt: Gerontocracy Fighting against Time (2007), and Political Islam in the Middle East: Past, Present, and Future (2007). He writes a bi-monthly column in the pan-Arab newspaper Al-Hayat and in the Cairo-based Al-Ahram Weekly and is a frequent commentator on Arab and international television channels, including CNN, PBS, Al Jazeera and BBC.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Democratic Beauty and Electoral Ugliness in the Arab World; Nathan J. Brown
2. Tunisia between Democratization and Institutionalizing Uncertainty; Kevin Koehler and Jana Warkotsch
3. Egypt: Egypt: Transition in the Midst of Revolution; Hesham Sallam
4. Libya: Legacy of Dictatorship and the Long Path to Democracy; Manal Omar
5. Morocco's 'spring': The Monarchical Advantage and Electoral Futility; Mohamed Daadaoui
6. Elections and Transition in Yemen; Vincent Durac
7. Iraq: Democracy and Electoral Politics in Post-Saddam Era; Reidar Visser
8. Elections and Authoritarianism in the Islamic Republic of Iran; Luciano Zaccara
9. Elections and Regime Change in Turkey: Tenacious Rise of Political Islam; Kivanc Ulusoy
10. Elections and Beyond: Democratization, Democratic Consolidation, or What?; Mahmoud Hamad and Khalil Al-Anani