Official stories politics and national narratives in Egypt and Algeria /
Until the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, the resilience of authoritarian regimes seemed a fundamental feature of regional politics. While economic, political, and internal security policies are most often considered in discussions of regime maintenance, Laurie Brand introduces...
| Main Author: | Brand, Laurie A., |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Stanford, California :
Stanford University Press,
2014.
|
| Physical Description: |
xiv, 274 pages ; 23 cm. |
| Series: |
Stanford studies in Middle Eastern and Islamic societies and cultures.
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| Subjects: |
| Summary: |
Until the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, the resilience of authoritarian regimes seemed a fundamental feature of regional politics. While economic, political, and internal security policies are most often considered in discussions of regime maintenance, Laurie Brand introduces a new factor, that of national narratives. Portrayals of a country's founding, identity, and bases of unity can be a powerful strategy in sustaining a ruling elite. Brand argues that such official stories, which are used to reinforce the right to rule, justify policies, or combat opponents, deserve careful exploration if we are to understand the full range of tools available to respond to crises that threaten a leadership's hold on power. Official stories examines more than six decades of political, economic, and military challenges in two of North Africa's largest countries: Egypt and Algeria. Through a careful analysis of various texts--history and religion textbooks, constitutions, national charters, and presidential speeches--Official Stories demonstrates how leaderships have attempted to reconfigure narratives to confront challenges to their power. Brand's account also demonstrates how leaderships may miscalculate, thereby setting in motion opposition forces beyond their control. |
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| Item Description: |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-257) and index. Restor(y)ing the state : national narratives and regime resilience -- Egypt under Nasser : the evolution of revolution -- Egypt under Sadat and Mubarak : rescripting revolution, redefining legitimacy -- Algeria from the liberation struggle through Boumedienne : historic to revolutionary legitimacy -- Algeria from Bendjedid to the dark decade : the narrative fractures -- Narrative rescriptings and legitimacy crises -- Epilogue the official narrative and the "Arab Spring" : the limits of revolution. Until the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, the resilience of authoritarian regimes seemed a fundamental feature of regional politics. While economic, political, and internal security policies are most often considered in discussions of regime maintenance, Laurie Brand introduces a new factor, that of national narratives. Portrayals of a country's founding, identity, and bases of unity can be a powerful strategy in sustaining a ruling elite. Brand argues that such official stories, which are used to reinforce the right to rule, justify policies, or combat opponents, deserve careful exploration if we are to understand the full range of tools available to respond to crises that threaten a leadership's hold on power. Official stories examines more than six decades of political, economic, and military challenges in two of North Africa's largest countries: Egypt and Algeria. Through a careful analysis of various texts--history and religion textbooks, constitutions, national charters, and presidential speeches--Official Stories demonstrates how leaderships have attempted to reconfigure narratives to confront challenges to their power. Brand's account also demonstrates how leaderships may miscalculate, thereby setting in motion opposition forces beyond their control. |
| Physical Description: |
xiv, 274 pages ; 23 cm. |
| Bibliography: |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-257) and index. |
| ISBN: |
9780804789608 0804789606 9780804792165 080479216X |