Dissertation Abstract

Muslim Democratic Parties: Globalization and Moderation in the Middle East

My dissertation aims to explain Islamist moderation in the Middle East by focusing on social cleavages and socioeconomic dynamics. Specifically, two interrelated questions guide my research on this important subject: What explains the emergence of Muslim Democratic parties (MDPs) recently, and why have these parties been successful in some cases, but not others? Although it is often said that economic liberalization will moderate Islamist parties, less is known about the mechanism through which this moderation is achieved, or when such outcomes are likely. Identifying the actors, preferences, and political contexts in which this effect is likely to come about will allow me to make a significant contribution to the literature on democratization in the Middle East. I approach the question of how and when MDPs arise from a society-based perspective, through which I theorize how changes in the preferences and strength of key economic actors such as small and medium enterprise (SME) owners underpin the emergence and success of MDPs as a viable political force. In particular, I argue that the way in which a country liberalizes its economy shapes the social foundations of Islamic party politics. I distinguish between two types of economic liberalization, inclusionary liberalization and crony liberalization. I test my causal theory in a three-country, longitudinal, structured comparison of Egypt, Morocco and Turkey. These countries were selected in order to maximize the variance that I observe on my key causal variables while holding other factors constant following the Most Similar Systems Design in comparative analysis.

Here you can find some pictures from places I’ve seen during my field research.