Islamist Activism in Exile

• In Event: MENA Diasporas, Authoritarianism and Activism in Exile (Pre-Recorded)

Abstract

There is extensive research that has documented how Islamist opposition groups adapt to shifting political opportunity structures in authoritarian contexts. What has received less attention is what happens when excessive repression drives significant segments of a movement into exile. How do migration and exile affect the trajectory of an Islamist group? This paper bridges the literatures on Islamist movements, diasporic politics and extraterritorial authoritarianism, and examines how reconstituting organizational structures abroad shapes organizational dynamics and the nature of Islamist activism. To study this question, the paper compares Ennahdha’s experience in exile from 1991 until 2013, and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood’s experience in exile since 2013. The analysis draws on a variety of primary and secondary sources, including interviews with current and former group members, to process-trace developments within the two movements. The empirical investigation reveals that the extent and nature of Islamist mobilization abroad depends not only on the social and political context of the host countries, but also on the leadership and cohesion of the organization. Different host country policies and relations with the home government place groups on distinct paths of mobilization and activism. However, these paths are not deterministic, and the nature of Islamist activism abroad is shaped by both structure and agency. Different models of coordinating decision-making between members inside and outside the country affect the nature of mobilization, and leaders play a critical role in shaping group tactics and strategies.

Author

• Ioana Emy Matesan, Wesleyan University