Sara Tonsy - The Egyptian Army and the Muslim Brotherhood (Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government)

This book provides an analysis of the relationship between the Egyptian army and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). This is at times of cooperation, collaboration, rivalry, and enmity, offering a vivid perspective as to how the similarities of both political actors bring them together after decades of invisible presence in the Egyptian political field.

Using ethnographic material that includes interviews, observations, and other forms of expression, both political actors common trajectories are analyzed in terms of power dynamics. The study allows an insight into the understanding of the differences between madani (civil), askari (military), and dini (religious) and how they are used and projected on the Egyptian political field. Finally, the book provides a dialogue simulation of the discourse of the MB and the army, starting in 2011, while analyzing the meaning of this exchange in terms of symbols, power, and mobilization.

In highlighting similar elements to their respective governmentalities, this book outlines a new analysis of the rivalry, making it an important contribution for scholars and students interested in collective violence, civilmilitary relations, and political Islam in the Middle East.

Sara Tonsy is Associate Researcher at the IREMAM and Mesopolhis, Institut dtudes politiques (IEP), Aix-en-Provence, France. Tonsy has a PhD in Political Science from the IEP-Aix, 2019. Her work mainly focuses on Egypt as a case study.

Edited by: Larbi Sadiki, Qatar University

This series examines new ways of understanding democratization and government in the Middle East. The varied and uneven processes of change, occurring in the Middle Eastern region, can no longer be read and interpreted solely through the prism of Euro-American transitology. Seeking to frame critical parameters in light of these new horizons, this series instigates reinterpretations of democracy and propagates formerly subaltern, narratives of democratization. Reinvigorating discussion on how Arab and Middle Eastern peoples and societies seek good government, Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government provides tests and contests of old and new assumptions.

Elites and Arab Politics

New Perspectives on Popular Protest

Ian Kelly

Good Governance and Civil-Security Relations

A Comparative Study of Egypt and Turkey

Ahmed Abd Rabou

Islam as Power

Shi'i Revivalism in the Oeuvre of Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah

Bianka Speidl

The Tunisian Revolution and Democratic Transition

The Role of al-Nahah

Mohammad Dawood Sofi

The Egyptian Army and the Muslim Brotherhood

Contemporary Political Power Dynamics

Sara Tonsy

For more information about this series, please visit: https://www.routledge.com/middleeaststudies/series/RSMEDG

Sara Tonsy

First published 2022

by Routledge

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2022 Sara Tonsy

The right of Sara Tonsy to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Tonsy, Sara, author.

Title: The Egyptian army and the Muslim Brotherhood : contemporary political power dynamics / Sara Tonsy.

Description: First Edition. | New York : Routledge, 2022. | Series: Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government; 31 | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021031481 (print) | LCCN 2021031482 (ebook) | ISBN 9781032027753 (Hardback) | ISBN 9781032027777 (Paperback) | ISBN 9781003185123 (eBook) | ISBN 9781000509250 (Adobe PDF) | ISBN 9781000509281 (ePub)

Subjects: LCSH: Political parties--Egypt. | Egypt--Politics and government--2011- | Egypt--Armed Forces--Political activity. | Jamiyat al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin (Egypt)--Political activity. | Political participation--Egypt. | Power (Social sciences)--Egypt.

Classification: LCC JQ3898.A1 T66 2022 (print) | LCC JQ3898.A1 (ebook) | DDC 324.262--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021031481

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021031482

ISBN: 978-1-032-02775-3 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-032-02777-7 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-003-18512-3 (ebk)

DOI: 10.4324/9781003185123

Typeset in Times New Roman

by MPS Limited, Dehradun

This project goes back over more than five years for me to a time when there was hope for change, not just in our personal lives but also for all of us as Egyptians, as humans.

The first people to thank will be my family: my daughters who empowered me beyond belief, my brother for always supporting me and agreeing with me until I realize I was wrong, and my parents for their acknowledgment.

My supervisor, Mohamed Tozy, you changed my life when you took me on in many ways that I cannot express in words, so thank you.

Coming from an American higher education system and needing autochthon support, Bernard Botiveau was the first France-based professor whom I met in Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt, in May 2014, recommending me in order to pursue my studies. I would also like to thank Fadma Ait-Mous, Vincent Geisser, Aude Signoles, and Clement Steuer for reading my work and commenting on it.

Pandeli Glavanis (19482017) showered me with motivation that never run out and Galal Amin (19352018) who gently told me on our last interview the next time I see you, I want you to be done, and I am! May they rest in peace. Holger Albrecht, Tewfik Aclimandos, Marco Pinfari and Aly el-Raggal for providing feedback on the early stages of this project. To my loyal friend and humble proofreader, Kevin Dean, for his dedication and time.

My support system and surrogate family during the final years of work on this project, I would like to quote a repeated daily reminder by one of them: Rspire, fait pas dapne!

Finally, I would like to thank everyone at CHERPA (Mesopolhis today) for their help and support throughout the years of this research project.

DOI: 10.4324/9781003185123-101

The book you are about to read is not just about the political actors referred to in the title. This book is about millions of Egyptian people, in Egypt and abroad, who started a journey by demanding bread, freedom, and social justice.

Ten years ago, in 2011, following the events that were taking place in Egypt, I was both confused and intrigued by power dynamics that have once been hidden but became bright as the sun. A battle was taking place between history and counter-history, in what became a form of a declaration of war, by declaring rights. Politicized masses of the Egyptian people took to the streets demanding their basic human and personal rights and collided violently with Hosni Mubarak's repressive machine, the Police and Central Security Forces (CSF), and threatened the continuity of the state apparatus. Mubarak's speeches and the counternarrative that developed in response on the streets of Cairo and social media became a factor of inspiration. January 28, 2011, was the day that sparked the first idea of this research project. Why were the long-banned Muslim Brotherhood (MB) Organization and the Egyptian army convoked by the Mubarak regime? Understandably, the Egyptian army is a state institution that is responsible for the security of the territory, but why the MB? Why did the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) issue a statement without referring to the Mubarak regime on the same day? The questions were endless. The official presence of the MB and the army since the same day in the political field in Egypt together without one of them declaring its official adherence to the revolutionary moment represented a turning point in the events and narrative that followed.