Civil Society in the Arab World: Case Study of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

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Civil Society in the Arab World: Case Study of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt Abstract In the aftermath of Arab uprisings and the intriguing shifts in balance of power in the Middle East, one of the most engaging discussions nowadays is the discourse about “Civil Society” as an inevitable prerequisite to successful transition to Democracy. Certainly the recent revolts throughout the Arab streets have grabbed unprecedented attention to a region where civil society and tools of mass mobilization were deemed nonexistent. Why the discourse on civil society is so appealing nowadays amid the uprisings, and what role does civil society play in the process of transition to democracy? Has there previously been any real presence of civil society across Arab states, or is it true –as many Orientalists suggest- that Arab societies are incapable of democratization due to their social and religious structures? This paper aims at challenging the mainstream rhetoric that civil society has been absent from Middle Eastern countries by tracing civil society organizations since the late 19th century in various Arab states with special focus on Egypt, specifying their various types and affiliations, and giving examples of situations where civil society played an influential position in pushing the state in the direction of democratization. At a later stage of this research I present some solid evidence reflecting that during long eras of authoritarian regimes ahead of the Arab Spring, the Islamic movement in Egypt has played the role of the most influential opposition as well as the most profound and significant civil society organization, especially in light of the space left unoccupied by failed external civil groups and Western endeavors of promoting democracy across the region. Finally, I suggest a set of steps and reforms that should essentially be embraced by both the
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