Description
Book Synopsis
Tracing the evolution of Islamist political parties and their rise to power in Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia, Sebnem Gumuscu explains why some remained committed to democracy while others took an authoritarian turn. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in three countries, Gumuscu considers the impact of party affairs on incumbents' democratic commitments.
Trade Review
'Through extensive fieldwork, Gumuscu offers a detailed, carefully researched empirical analysis of Islamist political parties, focusing on intra-party politics and factional struggles. This pathbreaking study is indispensable to understanding the dynamics of the Islamist political parties and their role in the contemporary politics of Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey.' Sabri Sayarı, Sabancı University
'This is a crisp analysis of the different trajectories of Islamist parties in Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey. Developing a refreshing perspective on the highly contingent nature of the relationship between Islam and democracy, Gumuscu's compelling narrative suggests the viability of more positive outcomes in an era of democratic retrenchment.' Güneş Murat Tezcür, University of Central Florida
'This is comparative politics at its very best. Grappling with the timely question of why some Islamist parties remain committed to democracy once in power while others experience democratic backsliding, Gumuscu leverages a rich body of primary research to argue for intra-party competition as the causal factor. Readers have gained a powerful tool via Gumuscu's tour de force.' Nora Fisher Onar, University of San Francisco
Table of Contents
Introduction; 1. Modernization, inclusion, and power: explaining Islamist parties' democratic commitments; 2. A theory of intra-party politics: resources and coalitions; 3. The AKP's pivot from liberal democracy to electoral Islamism; 4. Electoral Islamism and killing the dream of a democratic Muslim brotherhood; 5. Ennahda's path towards liberal Islamism; Conclusion.
