Restor(y)ing the state : national narratives and regime resilience -- Egypt under Nasser : the evolution of revolution -- Egypt under Sadat and Mubarak : rescripting revolution, redefining legitimacy -- Algeria from the liberation struggle through Boumedienne : historic to revolutionary legitimacy -- Algeria from Bendjedid to the dark decade : the narrative fractures -- Narrative rescriptings and legitimacy crises -- Epilogue the official narrative and the "Arab Spring" : the limits of revolution
Summary
Until the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, the resilience of authoritarian regimes seemed a fundamental feature of regional politics. While economic, political, and internal security policies are most often considered in discussions of regime maintenance, Laurie Brand introduces a new factor, that of national narratives. Portrayals of a country's founding, identity, and bases of unity can be a powerful strategy in sustaining a ruling elite. Brand argues that such official stories, which are used to reinforce the right to rule, justify policies, or combat opponents, deserve
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-257) and index