American University in Cairo AUC Knowledge Fountain Theses and Dissertations 2-2019 Surviving the Arab uprisings: Political regimes and state responses Ahmed Hood Follow this and additional works at: https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds Recommended Citation APA Citation Hood, A. (2019).Surviving the Arab uprisings: Political regimes and state responses [Master’s thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain. https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1405 MLA Citation Hood, Ahmed. Surviving the Arab uprisings: Political regimes and state responses. 2019. American University in Cairo, Master's thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain. https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1405 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by AUC Knowledge Fountain. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of AUC Knowledge Fountain. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The American University in Cairo Political Science Department SURVIVING THE ARAB UPRISINGS: POLITICAL REGIMES AND STATE RESPONSES A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Political Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts By Hood Ahmed ID: 900121382 CMEPS (under the supervision of Dr. Nadine Sika) 1 Contents Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Methodology and Case Selection ............................................................................................................. 8 Conceptualization and Operationalization ............................................................................................. 10 Chapters Overview .................................................................................................................................. 13 Chapter 1: Literature Review ...................................................................................................................... 15 1.1. Theoretical Approaches to Authoritarianism .................................................................................. 15 1.2. Regimes and Authoritarian Strategies of Survival ........................................................................... 18 1.3. Arab Exceptionalism and Authoritarian Strategies .......................................................................... 22 Cooptation .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Repression ........................................................................................................................................... 25 Legitimation ........................................................................................................................................ 26 1.4. Monarchical Exceptionalism, Dynasticism and Rentierism ............................................................. 28 1.5. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 32 Chapter 2. Saudi Arabia .............................................................................................................................. 35 2.1. Historical Survival Strategies ............................................................................................................ 35 Legitimation ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Cooptation .......................................................................................................................................... 38 Repression ........................................................................................................................................... 40 2.2. Survival Strategies During the Protests......................................................................................... 43 Legitimation ......................................................................................................................................... 44 Cooptation ........................................................................................................................................... 45 Repression ........................................................................................................................................... 48 2.3. Conclusion & Post-Uprisings Development ................................................................................ 49 Chapter 3. Morocco .................................................................................................................................... 57 3.1. Historical Survival Strategies ........................................................................................................ 57 Legitimation ......................................................................................................................................... 57 Cooptation ........................................................................................................................................... 59 Repression ........................................................................................................................................... 62 3.2. Survival Strategies during the Protests ......................................................................................... 62 Legitimation ......................................................................................................................................... 64 2 Cooptation ........................................................................................................................................... 66 Repression ........................................................................................................................................... 67 3.3. Conclusion & Post-Uprisings Development ................................................................................ 68 Chapter 4. Egypt .......................................................................................................................................... 76 4.1. Historical Survival Strategies ........................................................................................................ 76 Legitimation ......................................................................................................................................... 76 Cooptation ........................................................................................................................................... 78 Repression ........................................................................................................................................... 80 4.2. Survival Strategies during the Protests ......................................................................................... 82 Legitimation ......................................................................................................................................... 83 Cooptation ........................................................................................................................................... 83 Repression ........................................................................................................................................... 84 4.3. Conclusion & Post-Uprisings Development ................................................................................ 87 Chapter 5: Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 95 5.1. Limitations........................................................................................................................................ 95 5.2. Theoretical Implications ................................................................................................................... 98 5.3. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 101 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................... 105 Books & Book Excerpts ......................................................................................................................... 105 Journal Papers ....................................................................................................................................... 108 News Articles, Websites & Reports ...................................................................................................... 120 3 Acknowledgments I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Nadine Sika, for her continuous support, inspiration and guidance with the thesis as well as throughout the program. I am grateful for Dr. James Sunday for encouraging me to pursue my master’s and for Dr. Oliver Schlumberger for his dedicated time and efforts without which I would not have successfully graduated on time. I also want to thank