ISLAMIC MOVEMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST: EGYPT AS A CASE STUDY

Year 2001, Volume: 6 Issue: 4, 0 - 0, 01.12.2001

Özlem Tür Kavli

Abstract

The Islamic challenge remains a central issue within the ongoing debate on the nature of Middle East politics. As the main opposition to government policies, the Islamic movements enjoy widespread popularity, especially among the lower echelons of those populations —people who are economically or politically alienated. Egypt has been a pioneer of Arab countries in many aspects of economic, political and cultural development. It has also been the pioneer in the rise of Islamic movements and the state’s fight with these groups. The aim of this paper is to look at Egypt as a case study in Middle East’s Islamist movements in general.