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Ultimate Authority: The Struggle for Islamic Institutions in the Arab World
Tue, June 8th, 2021
Live Online
Arab rulers are increasingly asserting control over Islamic institutions with administrative and coercive tools. These top-down policies are framed by authoritarian regimes as “reforms,” but are often calculated attempts to eliminate potential sources of dissent in ministries, seminaries, mosques, and other religious entities. At the other end of the spectrum, Islamic institutions in conflict-wracked Arab states have become prizes for competing factions to bolster their authority and popular support. Understanding these dynamics has important implications for countering violent extremism and resolving conflict, as well as appreciating evolving state-society relations across the Arab world.
Carnegie’s Middle East Program is pleased to invite you to a public discussion marking the release of a new edited volume, Islamic Institutions in Arab States: Mapping the Dynamics of Control, Co-option, and Contention, which examines the interplay between religious establishments and governance in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco.
Nathan J. Brown, Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen, and Laila Alrefaai will present the study’s findings, drawing from field research on Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, and Syria. Annelle Sheline will serve as a discussant and Frederic Wehrey as moderator.
Research for this project was made possible through a generous grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
Event Speakers
Frederic Wehrey
Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Frederic Wehrey is a senior fellow in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where his research focuses on governance, conflict, and security in Libya, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf.
Nathan J. Brown
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Nathan J. Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, is a distinguished scholar and author of nine books on Arab politics and governance, as well as editor of five books.
Annelle Sheline
Annelle Sheline is a research fellow in the Middle East program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Her research focuses on the manipulation of religious authority by Arab monarchies.
Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen
Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen is a Yemeni journalist and non resident fellow at Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies. She frequently writes for Jadaliyya, Weghat Nazar, and several Yemeni newspapers.
Laila Alrefaai
Leila Alrefaai is a Syrian writer and researcher specializing in religious affairs.