Citation:
Date Presented:
February 5Abstract:
This thesis, based on qualitative field research, explores the ideological evolution of the Ennahdha Movement—Tunisia’s largest Islamist political party since the 2011 revolution—with a focus on the debates on actions taken by the party between 2013–2015 and on recent discussions about the role of Islam and politics in the party. Past work on the inclusion of formerly banned Islamist movements has focussed on inclusion in primarily authoritarian contexts, and I hope to expand this work to apply to the unique context of Tunisia’s democracy. I hope to incorporate ideas from literature on Islamist inclusion and moderation, routinization and rationalization, brand dilution in political parties, and the idea of post-Islamism. The bulk of my research is interview-based, and I interviewed thirty-five members of Ennahdha, most of whom were younger low- to mid-ranking party members, in addition to some more senior party leaders, asking them about their views on the party’s recent trajectory and the role of Islam in the party’s aims. I also attended a number of events organized by the party, and use observations from these events to support my arguments. I argue that the role of political Islam in Ennahdha has diminished because Ennahdha’s structure as both a political party and a social organization allows Islam and politics to operate simultaneously but largely separately within Ennahdha—as demonstrated by the relative absence of Islamist rhetoric and language when party members discuss political strategy and the orientation towards personal piety instead of political goals in the party’s Islam-focussed rhetoric and activity.