Factionalism in Social Movements: The Case of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood After 2013 (Politik und Gesellschaft des Nahen Ostens)

This research unpacks the reasons of the Muslim Brotherhood’s factionalism post-2013 and defines the scope of disagreements within the group, by applying an interactionist approach to factionalism. This approach analyzes the interplay between the macro-, meso-, and micro- dimensions. The research re-constructs the narrative of Muslim Brotherhood's factionalism post-2013, and includes the implicit micro-structural dimensions of the factional process, thereby proposing a more comprehensive narrative to the conflict. Foreword Acknowledgment Note on Transliteration Introduction Background and Purposes Significance and Scope of Research Thesis Outline Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1 State of Research 1.1 Research on the Muslim Brotherhood Schism Pre-2013 1.1.1 Disparities and Splits in the Egyptian Islamist Movement 1.1.2 The Political Opportunity Structure and MB’s Transformations 1.2 Research on the Muslim Brotherhood Factionalism Post-2013 1.2.1 Organizational Deficits and MB’s Decline 1.2.2 MB’s Adaptation Ability and Accommodation to Repression 1.2.3 Factionalism and Repression 1.3 Concluding Remarks 2 Theoretical Debates and Novelties in the Study of Social Movements 2.1 Classic Approaches and Recent Developments 2.1.1 Social Movements in the Twentieth Century: Theoretical Debates and Synthesis 2.1.2 Microstructural and Social-Psychological Approaches (Sociology of Emotions) 2.2 Schism and Factionalism 2.2.1 The Effect of Internal Organizational Factors on Factionalism 2.2.2 Environmental Facilitators of Factionalism and Schisms 2.2.3 The Repression- Dissent Nexus 2.3 Synthesis and Analytical Framework 2.3.1 Summary of Literature and Key Gaps 2.3.2 Conceptual Framework 2.3.3 Analytical Concepts 2.3.4 Hypothesis 3 Researching an Underground Organization: Methodology and Limitations 3.1 A Mixed Data Collection Approach in Search of the MB 3.1.1 The Limits of Conventional Fieldwork in High-Risk Research Environment 3.1.2 MBs’ Official Websites: A Virtual Field of Research 3.1.3 Primary Documentation 3.1.4 Interviews: Fieldwork and Media 3.2 Data Analysis: Ethnography of the Written and the Virtual Word 3.2.1 Categorizing Strategy and Content Analysis 3.2.2 Connecting Strategy and Ethnographic Analysis 3.3 Concluding Remarks 4 Brotherhood’s Internal Conflicts and their Outcomes: Historical Overview (1928–2011) 4.1 Internal Conflicts and Factions during the Founding Phase (1928–1948) 4.1.1 Opposing al-Banna’s Leadership and Power 4.1.2 The Rise of the Militant Current 4.2 Internal Divisions and Organizational Disarray (1948–1970) 4.2.1 The Post-Banna Power Struggle (1948–1950) 4.2.2 Rising Opposition Against al-Hudaybi’s Leadership (1951–1954) 4.2.3 The Great Ordeal: Divisions during the Prison Years (1954–1970) 4.3 Dissentions after the Second Founding (1970–2011) 4.3.1 Brotherhood’s Conflicting Currents 4.3.2 Generational Divides and Tensions 4.4 Concluding Remarks 5 The Brotherhood’s Organizational Re-configuration Amidst Political Turbulence 5.1 Players’ Configuration Pre-2013 5.1.1 Mapping Subgroupings 5.1.2 Configuration of Internal Players: Alliance and Contention 5.2 RE-configuration and Growing Schism Post- 2013 5.2.1 Adapting to Repression: MB’s Efforts and Challenges 5.2.2 The Micro Dynamics of Raba’a 5.2.3 Re-orientation and Re-organization of a Factional Movement 5.3 Concluding Remarks 6 Beyond Strategic Divisions: MB Narratives and Microstructural Dimensions of Factionalism 6.1 Contentious Narratives of the Internal Disaccord 6.1.1 The Strategic Dimension: The Stagnation and Adaptation Dilemma 6.1.2 The Legitimacy Dilemma: Between Historical and Institutional Legitimacy 6.1.3 Internal Reform: Adjusting of the Bylaws and Vision 6.2 Reconstructing the Conflict Narrative: The Implicit Dimensions in the Factional Conflict 6.2.1 Unpacking the Strategic Conflict: Fighting Against ‘Religious Determinism’ 6.2.2 Re-Configuring the Brotherhood’s Collective Identity 6.2.3 Disputing the Organization 6.3 Concluding Remarks 7 Discussion and Conclusion 7.1 Research Review 7.2 Hypothesis: Discussion and Results 7.2.1 The Causes of Factionalism 7.2.2 The Scope of Factionalism 7.3 Key Findings: Sum up 7.4 Theoretical Impications 7.5 Contributions and Suggestions Bibliography