Political participation in the Middle East / edited by Ellen Lust-Okar, Saloua Zerhouni.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 267-283) and index.

1. Taking Political Participation Seriously / Ellen Lust-Okar -- Pt. 1. Participation Under Authoritarian Rule -- 2. The Nature of Political Participation / Holger Albrecht -- 3. Formal and Informal Venues of Engagement / Laila Alhamad -- Pt. 2. Negotiating the Electoral Arena -- 4. Intra-Elite Struggles in Iranian Elections / Gunes Murat Tezcur -- 5. Competitive Clientelism in Jordanian Elections / Ellen Lust-Okar -- 6. Inside an Egyptian Parliamentary Campaign / Samer Shehata -- 7. Local Elections in Gaza / Dag Tuastad -- Pt. 3. Beyond Electoral Politics -- 8. Opposition Groups in Bahrain / Katja Niethammer -- 9. Mapping Participation in Egypt / Nihad Gohar -- 10. The Dynamics of Civil Society in Morocco / Driss Maghraoui -- 11. The Moroccan Parliament / Saloua Zerhouni -- 12. Trade Unions in Tunisia / Delphine Cavallo -- Pt. 4. Conclusion -- 13. Looking Forward / Saloua Zerhouni.

"Political participation in authoritarian regimes is usually considered insignificant, or important only insofar as it promotes democracy. Turning this common wisdom on its head, Political Participation in the Middle East demonstrates the vitality, variety, and significance of political activism across the Middle East and North Africa." "Through an in-depth exploration of seven countries, the authors address how formal and informal political institutions create opportunities for participation in venues as varied as trade unions, civic associations, political parties, and elections. And, without losing sight of the fact that authoritarian regimes manipulate participation to reinforce their rule, they reveal ways in which citizens do benefit - by influencing decision-making, for example, or obtaining state resources. An engaging read for scholars and students, this work vividly illustrates how citizens matter in the politics of authoritarian regimes."--BOOK JACKET.