Political Islam & the New Egypt: The Muslim Brotherhood's Transition to Power

October 29, 2012 @ 1:00pm
Johnson Center, Gold Room
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

Presented by the Arab Studies Institute (ASI) and George Mason University Middle East Program Studies 

Featuring...
Abdullah Al-Arian

From banned opposition movement to the most prganized political force in the country, the Muslim Brotherhood's rise to power has been one of th leading story lines following Egypt's popular uprising of 2011. The group's ability to navigate through a tumultous transition period was the result of significant historical factors and the recent evolution of its political strategy. However, as it transforms into the dominant power in Egypt's emerging political system, the Muslim Brotherhood contineous to face several significant challenges that could jeopardize its historic mission as well as the aims of the Egyptian uprising.
Abdullah Al-Arian is an assistant professor of history at Wayne State University in Michigan. In 2011, he received his doctorate from Georgetown University, where he wrote his dissertation on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt during the decade of the 1970s. His research interests include: Islamic social movements, US Policy toward the Middle East, and Islam in America. He received his Masters degree from the London SChool of Economics and his BA from Duke University. He is a contributor to the Al-Jazeera English network and website. His first book will be published by Oxford University Press next spring. It is entitled "Answering the Call: Popular Islamic Activism in Egypt (1970-1981).